Silver Scars
by Xx Misericordia xX
Summary: Tobias wasn't the only abused one in Abnegation. Caleb is praised for his selflessness, while Tris is hidden away like a disease. What if Tobias recognises what she is going through? What if Tris is pushed one step too far? There is a difference between living and surviving. Some, however, take a little longer to realise. *Slow romance.*
1. Chapter 1: Drunk Tattoo Consequences

**AN: Hey everyone! This is my first fan fiction (although not my first novel, I have a few works on Wattpad) so go easy on me. :) I'm warning everyone know that there may be spoilers for the books (mainly because I can't always remember when certain information is given to the characters). Yeah, so don't get angry with me if I ruin anything. What are you doing reading FanFiction without reading the whole series first anyway?! Sorry for any grammar issues, I don't have a beta and have to edit all my work by myself.**

**One more thing. Characters will be OOC (Out of Character) but remember, Tris and Tobias will be growing up with different upbringings to canon as will act differently accordingly. you have been warned. **

**Warnings: Abuse, slight swearing, etc. Maybe be rated M in future in fear of the story being pulled down.**

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Divergent series by the beautiful Veronica Roth. I dream of the day she gives me the rights so I can change the ending of Allegiant, grrrrr. Im not making any money, I'm just playing around with her characters._**

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 1: Drunk Tattoo Consequences**

"I am worthless," Tris, as she has been referring to herself as for years, repeats after Andrew. She refuses to even think of calling that man _father_.

She flinches as his meaty hand falls down on her tender flesh once more. Her 8 year old stomach was littered with green and blue bruises, hidden beneath the grey garbs of her faction.

"You are selfish," he spits at her, kicking her stomach when she curls up under his powerful blows.

Tris cries out as she feels something snap. Her father, Andrew Prior, glares at the source of the noise but says nothing. Since he got promoted to a member of the City Council, they were moved out to a lovely farm house. Not too far from the rest of the faction, but far enough that no one would hear her screams. The only other house anywhere near them was owned by Marcus, her fathers ally and a fellow Council member. She believed he also had a son, but if they ever heard her wails they never mentioned it. Tris sometimes thought she heard screams reflecting her own torture from the house across the way, but quickly passed them off as the howling wind. It tended to do that as it flew at vast speeds across the great plains.

"I am selfish," Tris splutters, blood dripping out the corner of her mouth onto the wooden floor. '_That can't be good,'_ she thinks dismally to herself, shivering as the pool of blood beneath her head grows, mixing into her sun bleached hair.

"Disgusting!" he glares down at her with an intense look of hatred. "You're trash, just like your whore of a mother!"

Tris' mother. She both loathed and cherished her mother. The mother that loved her, the mother that left her.

"I am trash, my mother is a whore. I am sorry, Sir," Tris replies autonomously, her eyes glazing over as she prepared for further punishment. She had learnt long ago how to zone out of the pain. The trick was to find a focus point; a crack in the wall or a weed pushing it's way up through the wooden floor boards in its bid to survive. Focus on the detail, the dust of plaster that falls or the way the weeds thin stem seems to quiver from the vibrations of her body being beaten.

For Tris, the world just seemed to fall away and the sharp piercing pains mellowed out into a dull thud. She dreamed of her mother, running away with her into the blissful unknown. To the factionless? Over the fence? She didn't know, but anywhere was better than this hell hole.

"Don't you forget it," he threatens while inspecting his bruised, bloody knuckles. The threat only partly works, Tris knew he would punish her no matter what the reason. He almost broke her arm once for breathing too loud. She wasn't even in the house.

"I expect your chores to be done by the time I get home. I have an important meeting with the factions so you will have to cook tonight as well." '_Like anyone else ever cooks._ _But It would be selfish of me if I didn't wait on Andrew and Caleb like a servant. No, a slave,' _Tris thought sardonically to herself.

"Of course, Sir. Have a good night, Sir," Tris replies monotonously. Most of the fire and rebellion had been washed out of her a long time ago. Or at least, that's what he thought.

"And clean up that mess!" He calls, slamming the door as he goes.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Tris gingerly picked herself up off the hallway floor. She winces as her muscles scream their protests. Tris quickly inspected her wounds, thanking who ever was above that most of her wounds had stopped bleeding. Most of the cuts would scab over by the end of the week, but she could feel that her broken rib would need setting in place.

Tris decided she would clean up the blood first, knowing how much of a bitch it was to get out of wood. Most kids her age still don't know how to get dressed by themselves let alone clean the house from top to bottom and cook full meals.

The sound of her brother, if he could be called that, shuffling around his room travels to her sensitive ears and not for the first time, she finds herself cursing him. He knew what was going on, but arrogant, perfect Caleb couldn't possibly lift one of his 'selfless' hands to help with such plebeian work. Gorgeous, golden-boy Caleb, the epitome of Abnegation. What ever he was, her 'brother' could never be Candor, that's for sure. He was too good of an actor, but then again, so was she.

Turning back to her cleaning she watches the dying sun sink over the horizon, taking a little piece of her soul with it as she let a single, silver tear fall from her eye. By the time she finished her chores and cooked dinner the sun had long set and the moon has taken it's place. The blood had taken a while to get out, but luckily for her the dark wood hid the small amount of blood that was completely absorbed.

Tris snuck a piece of bread for dinner, knowing her stomach could hold no more in its current state, and headed lethargically up to Caleb's room, tray in hand. Knocking on the door, she heard an annoyed, "come in!" Depositing the tray on his bed where he lay with an arm over his face, she quickly retreated only to be stopped at the door by his voice.

"The carrots are undercooked!" He sniffed indignantly. Rolling the offending carrot across the plate as if it was plagued, a scrunched up expression on his haughty face.

"Then why don't you find out how to cook them properly with one of those lovely books you have hidden behind your dresser against the wall!" Tris sneered back, close to breaking point. Her ribs throbbed and she could feel a headache coming on.

He looked like steam was about to started coming out of his ears, like a cartoon she overheard two girls talking about in the school yard from the Old Times. This was the only power she held over Caleb, the knowledge of his fascination with the subject. An _Erudite_ quality. A quality that no matter how perfect Caleb seemed, he would not be forgiven for.

Tris rolls her eyes when he simply sneers at her, unable to come up with a response. She inwardly laughs at his puerility despite his Erudite attitude. She walks off without another word, knowing she's won the battle for now.

Walking to 'her' room - in the sense it was also used as a storage cupboard - she grabbed a couple of bandages and some antiseptic from the medicine cabinet. Placing the items down on her single bed, she slowly stripped down to her underwear to assess the situation.

Tris cringed at the sight of her body. She couldn't count the number for bruises as they all blended together like watercolour. Both lucky and unluckily for her, the unflattering, baggy clothes Abnegation wore would hide any sign of her abuse. If there was one rule her father followed, it was never hit the face, the only real place where skin was shown in Abnegation. Bruised hands could be passed off as a trick of the light or from hours of selfless, heavy labour.

A myriad of colours had invaded her entire left side. Tris stood, almost hypnotised by the various shade and contrasts. It was to be admired, in a morbid sort of way. After all, Abnegation saw things such as art and colour as vain and self-indulgent.

The trance was broken as she gently brushed her fingers against the affronting bruises. The pain was so intense Tris saw black dots in her vision for a few seconds and was forced to sit down heavily on the bed, jostling the contents against her thin blanket. Blinking her eyes rapidly against the pain, Tris cautiously picked up the antiseptic, twisting the lip open with an audible 'pop'.

The next few minutes of Tris's life were spent muffling screams in a pillow as she poured the antiseptic on her already stinging wounds. She comforted herself with the knowledge that at least Andrew wasn't home to give her another beating for being too loud.

She took a few minutes to rest before bandaging up her cuts, the most prominent being a slash wrapping around her bicep lovingly like a snake, adding to the collection of silver spiral designs that ran up and down her arms and parts of her legs. Andrew had taken a liking to cut patterns and designs into her body, turning her into a living artwork of scars so fine and precise, they seemed to be a metallic kind of ink, a tattoo almost. Tris had heard about and seen the tattoos the Dauntless wore like badges of honour, but they were always in black with the occasional red, blue and green. Never silver, never scars.

**~.~.~**

Tris woke up many hours later and confirmed this by the clunky, but deemed practical, watch that sat on her bedside table. _2:14_. The numbers flashed dimly in the unlit room. She could hear the faint snores of Caleb and Andrew as they slept the precious night away. Tris vaguely remembered passing out from pain after setting her broken rib back in place. She can see the indents left in her beds headboard from where she bit into it to keep from crying out. Her young body had started to build up a pain resistance, but there was only so much one so young could take.

Tris quickly threw on some clothes and her watch. Quietly opening her window, Tris took care not to put any weight on the left side of the window sill. She knew from experience the loud creak it would make with even the tiniest burden. Leaning over the edge she checked to make sure the coast was clear before dropping down onto the grass, flinching as her ankle groaned and almost gave way from the shock. '_I really need to learn how to roll when landing…'_

Standing up straight, Tris crept silently away from the house and when she was a good distance away, sprinted along the familiar path to her nightly get away. The wind caressing her long hair as it trailed behind her. It was much longer than the rest of the Abnegation girls, even longer than most of the older girls too. Tris knew it should be cut short, practical and efficient. Not her long, sun bleached locks that tangled with the slightest teasing. But there had been no one around to cut her hair. Not since she was three.

As the city grew bigger and bigger in front of her, she slowed down to a walk just taking in the night. Tris loved the crisp air, the deafening silence, the way everything was bathed in an ethereal glow. The night consumed her senses and she willingly allowed herself to be dragged into its frosty embrace. Taking off her Abnegation jacket, Tris immersed herself in the glory of the night. The biting wind seeped through her tank top, but she didn't care. It awakened her. It was the only thing that made her feel alive.

The factionless in the area fled at the sight of her luminescent apparition. Stories of the ghostly girl with silver impressions had been past around their colony. All had agreed it was a sign of bad things to come.

Tris arrived at her destination with rosy cheeks from the wind and anticipation. She had arrived at the train tracks.

Her bright, blue eyes had always followed the train with wide, undisguised excitement. The sight of the Dauntless swinging dangerously on huge train, laughing and daring each other to go further had fascinated her. Their carefree nature, but stoic expressions when in the presence of a perceived threat. Their hair was crazy, their bodies tattooed and their will, wild. Tris loved it.

They were truly Dauntless and inside she felt, so was she. A Dauntless hidden in the unwilling, unyielding skin of Abnegation.

She craved their lifestyle from the second she saw it. Tris still remembered vividly in Primary School, when the factions first started mixing, the appearance of the loud Dauntless children, complete with colour streaked hair, piercings and even some tattoos. She had snuck a look at her scars that day, comparing them to her Dauntless classmates ink. She knew the difference between tattoos and scars. The Dauntless had chosen to mark their skin and she had not. However, her scars proved something. They marked her as a survivor.

Dropping the coat she clutched to her chest, Tris checked her watch knowing the train would arrive around the bend in less than a minute. Sure enough the train slowed around the bend to a speed that her little legs could just keep up with. She had taken the train a few times into Dauntless territory now and had observed how the Dauntless jumped on and off the train for countless hours.

Pumping her arms, Tris sprinted along side the train before leaping to the side. She landed with an almighty thud, one of her thin arms just hanging onto the metal handle. Using all the strength in her arms she managed to pull herself in. She never noticed the young boy watching from the shadows.

Tris just lay on the train for a few minutes, catching her breath. The frigid metal caused goosebumps to pop up all over her skin. She could feel the lull of the train as it went over bumps and bridges. It comforted her, the repetitive movement. The only sound was the whistling of the wind, the train as it chugged along and if one listened closely, the sound of slow, steady breathing. Sometime later, Tris sat up. The vibrations of the train alerting her to the fact she had almost arrived. The train slowed once more, but never to a stop. That would be too easy.

_It's now or never... _Taking a few steps back, Tris took a deep breath, a running start and leapt. For a moment she was just suspended in air. The world fell away and she was hanging in nothingness. It was invigorating. Her mind ceased to exist, then her heavenly experience was shattered by the rapidly approaching ground.

Twisting with cat like reflexes, Tris narrowly avoid landing on her side. She rolled a few times letting out a breathy laugh as she finished, laying on her back staring up at the speckled heavens. '_I guess I know how to roll now…' _

Jumping to her feet in anticipation, she spent only a second to brush off any gravel before she dashed to the other side of the roof and dove head first off the side of the building, relishing the feeling of free fall. Most would call an eight year old child diving off a building suicidal, but Tris had done this many time before and no long felt fear in the same way. To conquer your fear, you need to face it head on. And head on she did.

The seven story drop past in a blur and Tris twisted onto her back as she reach the bottom. The safety net cradled her body in its tight embrace. There was no doubt to anyone who saw Tris' true face that she was Dauntless, if not by blood, but by nature.

Tris carefully got out of the net only to have her foot caught at the last second and fell face forward on the ground. She unhooked her foot and sat up grumbling at her luck, rubbing her eye which she knew would be black in the morning. Tris quieted down quickly remembering where she was. She shuffled over to a near by crevasse that ran vertically in the black rock that made up one of the Dauntless walls. Reaching into the darkness she took out a Dauntless jacket and black trousers she had stolen earlier in the year.

Slipping them on Tris smirked in the shadows, her posture visibly changing from small and forgettable to confident and striking. She was stripped of her Abnegation mask replacing it with her true Dauntless face.

Dauntless headquarters was a hive of activity 24/7. Initiatives could be seen running across the pit, obviously late for some sort of meeting. May they rest in piece when their trainer found them. A large bonfire was burning in the center of the pit. Dauntless raucously yelling and singing songs surrounded the pyre, a bottle of alcohol in their hands. Tris smiled at the sight as she continued on with her journey.

She entered the tattoo parlour and Tori gave her a quick nod of acknowledgment. Tris had been working their as a helper for just over a year. She had told Tori she was a orphan, which wasn't surprising considering it was Dauntless, and left it at that. She had eventually earned enough points to buy her own set of throwing knives which she asked Tori if she could keep in her back room. She had easily agreed, seeing Skylar, as Tris had introduced herself, as her adopted niece.

"Hey Sky," she called over her shoulder as she tattooed a feral looking wolf on a drunk, balding mans shoulder. "You're not down at the bonfire?"

"Nah, not in the mood," Tris replied. "What's it for this time?" she inquired, rifling through one of the drawers. She let out a small sound of frustration when a needle sprayed some ink on her bandage. She knew she was going to have to change it later to avoid suspicion.

"I'm surprised you don't know. It's all anyone's been talking about. Some initiate was killed in training. Apparently he was stupid enough to try and get his knife whilst everyone was still throwing," she scoffs. "You know, just because we aren't Erudite doesn't mean we have to be complete imbeciles."

Tris made a noise of agreement before letting out a whoop of joy at finding her knives. The jagged, obsidian blades took on a midnight sheen under the blue lights strung up around the room. "Let me guess," started Tris, grabbing the knives and slamming the drawers shut. "They are praising him for his bravery and dedication?"

"You got it," agreed Tori with a roll of her eyes. "There's bravery and then there's stupidity," she explained sending a wink to Tris and a pointed look to the now passed man in the chair.

Tris let out a snort, telling her she should tattoo a bunch of flowers around the wolf as a lesson.

Tori's voice stopped her as she was about to walk out the door, "You know? I might just take it a step further."

Tris turned around noting the sinister smile and thoughtful look on her face. She laughed outright before calling out her goodbye.

"And try not to cut yourself this time, Sky!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Tris waved her off with a slight grimace, heading to the currently empty training rooms. She had used a cover story last week that she had been she slipped and cut herself on a knife. Really, Andrew and been bored and decided he was a lumberjack and her leg was a tree.

In the silence of the Training room, Tris let her emotions run wild and released a deadly stream of knives at the various of targets. She imagined they were all Andrew, her supposed loving father. The blades all struck home with a satisfying thwack. Tris collected her knives and repeated the process, letting her anger and frustration at her situation flow out of her.

Tris hurled dagger after dagger and it wasn't until sweat was pouring down her face and sunlight streamed through the windows above that she stopped. She looked down at her watch worriedly, not realising the time and rushed out of the room. She never stopped running back to the tracks except to laugh at a man exclaiming angry into his drunk friends. His hands furiously indicated to his shoulder which had a tattoo of a wolf wearing a laurel upon its head and a pink butterfly on it's snarling nose...

**~.~.~**

**AN: I know Tris may seem older than she should, but remember, she's had to mature quickly and she's impressionable. she has been treated like a slave and abused almost all her life and is going to be heavily affected because of this. **

**Over 3 thousand words on the first chapter, not including AN. Not bad if I do say so myself! :) **

**Please leave me a review, good or bad! Try not to flame, but criticism is appreciated as it helps me grown as a writer and fix up my terrible grammar skills. **

**One more thing… You may notice I am a bit of a comma whore, so don't be afraid to call me up on it.**

**~ Mercy**


	2. Chapter 2: Me? An Erudite!

**AN: Have I ever told you guys that you are the best? Well you are! Thank you to all those who favorited/followed/reviewed etc. I will try not to let you down! You actually will not believe how stoked I am at the amount of views etc. **

**Updates will be random. I will work on the story as much as possible but with mid terms not that far away it may be difficult to find time. Unfortunately education comes first, writing comes second. **

**If you haven't figured it out by now, this story will touch on some... Uh, delicate subjects… So if you don't like, don't read. Simple. **

**Don't be put of by the title of the chapter :) There is no way I would make her Erudite! …Maybe next story… **

**Question of the Chapter: What faction do you honestly think you would be in? Also, what faction would you like to be in and why? even if your personality doesn't match? **

**_Disclaimer: The owner of the Divergent series is not a stressed out Senior. Trust me on this guys. Therefore, I do not own any of the rights. I am merely warping Veronica Roth's beautiful, but scary world. _**

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 2: Me? An Erudite?! **

The train whistle in the distance woke Tris abruptly from her blissful sleep. Her Faction History teacher had the drollest voice, perfect for catching up on missed rest. No one questioned her having a nap as the only people insane enough to stay awake were the Erudite. Tris looked over and noted how her brother stared at the information being written on the blackboard with a thinly veiled hunger. She would often wonder to herself how people hadn't picked up on his true calling. She certainly wasn't going to tell them. One, no one would believe her. Two, she wanted to see the look on all their faces when he transferred over to what Abnegation considered 'the enemy'.

She rubbed her eyes and immediately regretted it when skin coloured powder came off on her left palm. Andrew had seen her black eye in the morning and immediately blamed her for it. Of course, the black eye _was_ her fault for her own clumsiness, but still. Her shoulder throbbed from the memory of the punch her gave her a punishment. He eventually commanded her to go put on something called 'makeup'. It felt slimy after hours at school and she couldn't quite get the colour right so the skin around her left eye was slightly lighter than the rest. Tris wasn't even sure why there was makeup in their house, even if it had been owned by her mother. The Abnegation wouldn't even let you look in a mirror, let alone apply chemicals to your face for the soul purpose of making you look prettier. Not that Tris agreed. She had seen what the girls from the other factions looked like when the wore makeup. She personally believed they all highly resembled raccoons, an animal she had seen in a picture book when she was younger.

The clock above the blackboard ticked over three thirty and as one the class, excluding the Erudite who stayed back to ask extra questions, rushed out of the room. Grabbing her small, grey bag Tris joined the mob moving down the hall. Students spilled out of the school and headed off in different directions. Tris leant against one of the outside walls and observed with interest the way everyone easily fell into their factions with easy familiarity.

The Dauntless caught Tris' eye as they ran out of the building, hair streaming behind them like multicoloured banners of celebration. They all ran to the train as it slowed along the tracks, but not all made it on in before the train plunged off of the platform. A teenaged boy with flame red hair and green eyes, screamed out his frustration. All those watching knew he had a long walk ahead of him to then be welcomed by mocking and teasing from the rest of his faction.

The Candor students all seemed to be in a lively debate, using exaggerated hand gestures and signs as they make their way to the buses or chose to walk. They could still be heard ten minutes later, even when their black and white clothed bodies had long disappeared into the distance.

The Amity slowly made their way along the dirt paths to Amity Headquarters. One pair of young sisters held hands and skipped along the path as their older counter parts laughed, smiling the entire way home. Tris felt a brief pang of longing for their simple and easy life, but briskly brushed it away.

The Abnegation kept their heads down as the sea of grey subduedly made their way to the buses, pausing only to help anyone in need along the way. Tris watched as an Erudite shoved a nearby Abnegation girl out of the way and kept walking, not once looking back. Never mind the girl had been helping a fellow faction member pick up some dropped books off the dusty pavement. The Erudite boy simply didn't have time to waste on frivolous matters such as taking a simple step to the side. The girl yelled out "Sorry!" to the boy as his figure disappeared into the crowd of blue.

The Erudite were the last to exit the building. They walked quickly, but in a dignified manner to a large building just a block down the street. The surrounding buildings had been knocked down and rebuilt, but the outer areas of what used to be know as Chicago still crumbled and leaned precariously over the pothole filled roads. The front of building the Erudite entered was composed almost entirely of glass, only disrupted by a giant blue eye marking as headquarters.

"Looking to join the Erudite when you turn sixteen?" asked a voice beside Tris making her jump.

Turning towards the speaker she wasn't expecting to see the sight of a boy, only about one or two years older than herself. His voice was unusually deep and smooth for someone so young. His eyes held hers captive. They were a navy blue colour that would only darken with age. Dark brown, almost black, strands fell in front of his piercing eyes as he looked down to her. Tris felt slightly intimidated by the older boy and would have though him to be in Dauntless if he wasn't wearing the familiar Abnegation robes.

"Erudite? No thank you. I'm surprised you haven't burst into flames over speaking such treason," replied Tris, tearing her eyes away and looking at the ground.

"Wouldn't be so bad," the boy shrugged. Leaning up against the brick wall next to her and getting comfortable. "At least you wouldn't get shoved to the ground and have to say sorry for it afterward."

"You saw that too, huh?" asked Tris noncommittally. She didn't know this boy and didn't need him running to her father about her disloyalty.

"Relax kid, I'm not a snitch," he said, leaning down and looking her straight in her eyes.

Tris was amazed to find specs of sky blue hidden among the navy depths. "Who are you calling kid? I bet you're not even that much older than me," challenged Tris, standing up as tall as she could.

"You're right," said the boy before holding a hand out to her. "I'm Tobias, I'm ten."

After a moments hesitation Tris grabbed his hand and shook it lightly. "I'm Beatrice, but call me Tris. I'm eight," she finished shyly. Tobias gave her hand a quick squeeze before letting it go.

They stood in a companionable silence, unusual for young children. Tris snuck quick glances at Tobias when she thought he wasn't looking. Little did Tris know, Tobias was doing the same. She wondered why the strange, sullen boy was standing with her. He seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite figure out why.

"Did you forget the boy who pushed the girl down was an Erudite?" reminded Tris after a few minutes of silence.

"No," he replied. "But, I like to think he was unusually spiteful."

"Same could be said for the girl," Tris paused. "That she was unusually weak-willed, I mean. I'd like to think that not all of Abnegation would let themselves be walked all over like that. Literally," Tris finished with a thoughtful look.

"But it would be considered selfish to get in their way. They obviously had something much more important to do than us measly Abnegation," Tobias countered.

"And the Erudite would shun the boy for wasting time. After all, pushing a girl to the ground doesn't help in his pursuit for knowledge. Especially when it would have been more time efficient to simply move around," said Tris with a fire in her belly from the debate. It had been a long time since she had been in a conversation that wasn't verbal abuse candidly directed at her.

"So, now you're defending the Erudite?" Tobias asked with a quizzical smile, revealing straight, white teeth.

"No, what I'm saying is... You know what, I don't even know what I'm saying." The whole conversation had confused Tris and she wasn't entirely sure why they were arguing in the first place.

"I like you," Tobias said after another short silence. "Wanna be friends?" Tobias asked shyly, looking vulnerable.

Tris found herself exceedingly puzzled by the boy. He seemed so mature, but had reverted back to a childlike personality when asking to be her friend. '_Maybe he doesn't have many friends_,' she thought to herself. She wasn't sure why the boy would want to be her friend. She had barely known him five minutes now, and she knew she wasn't one of the friendliest of people. '_I've never had a friend before…'_

"Neither have I," explained Tobias. Tris was startled, she didn't realise she had spoken the last part out loud.

After another moment for thinking Tris agreed to be friends. Tris had seen the way friends hugged in playground and went out on a limb. She pulled Tobias into a hug.

Tobias froze and looked down at the girl in astonishment. He hadn't expected her to just go right ahead and hug him. He forced himself to relax and gently wrapped his arms around the small girl's waist.

Tris could never remember being hugged before. She could never remember giving a hug either, but she found herself intensely enjoying it. Tobias was much taller than her and her head only just rested on the top of his chest. She could feel him frozen beneath her touch, but then he relaxed and returned her embrace. Tris was very thankful for this, because she didn't think she would be able to stand getting rejected by her first friend on top of everything else.

A few minutes later she released him and stepped back, looking at the ground. Tobias gently put his finger under chin and made her look up.

He smiled kindly. "Don't be embarrassed," sending a quick glance around, he lent down and whispered, "I've never been hugged before either."

Tris pulled back like she had physically been burnt. What did this boy mean he had never been hugged? She understood why she had never been, but this boy couldn't have possibly gone through what she had. Could he? '_No_,' she thought to herself. '_Abnegation don't touch and hug very much. It's normal.'_ But something niggling in her sub conscious told her otherwise.

Tobias lent forward once more and caressed her stinging eye with a tender hand. "Your father?"

"I don't know what you mean," Tris replied venomously. Suddenly having a friend didn't seem like such a good idea, he was too perceptive.

"I think you do. It's the same thing Marcus does to me," he replied with a shrug, but Tris could see the pain in his eyes as he turned away, looking into the distance.

"Marcus?" Tris asked in a whisper. There was no one around, but what they were speaking of almost felt like treason.

"My _father_," Tobias spat with the same amount of animosity as Tris held for her own. Tobias turned his churning eyes back to hers. "Your father is Andrew Prior right? I've heard screaming coming from your house before and judging but how loved and pampered your brother is, I'm guessing they weren't his.

Tris remember hearing screams coming from his house too. She remembered naively passing them off as the wind and she felt guilty. She knew there was nothing she could do to stop his abuse, but if she had known... She didn't know what she would have done actually. She felt so lost.

"Hey, don't do that," said Tobias pulling Tris out of herself induced daydream. "You're over thinking everything. I wouldn't have believed it either if Marcus and your father hadn't-"

"Don't call _him_ that!" Snapped Tris, interrupting Tobias mid sentence. "That _man_ is no father," she paused, but with no less anger. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"Don't worry, I understand completely. So long as you don't ever call Marcus my _father_ either. As I was saying, I wouldn't have believed it either if I had overhear Marcus and _Andrew_ talking about it when they got drunk one night. Marcus even gave him a demonstration."

Tris put a hand to her mouth to muffle a cry that tried valiantly to escape. "I am so so sorry. I-"

"Don't worry about it," he swiftly interrupted. "It would have happened anyway."

Tris pulled away slightly. Their situations were scarily similar. She supposed it was because their assailants were friends and shared torture techniques in their spare time. Tobias grabbed her bicep, not wanting her to leave yet without more of an explanation. Tris winced, even though his hand only clamped down lightly.

Tobias immediately let go and shot he an apologetic look as he noticed the bandage. "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours," he said, indicating to her cut arm. Both kids were too young to understand how that could have sounded to outsiders.

Tris was wary of showing anyone the designs Andrew had carved into her. Andrew had always said it would only get much worse if she showed or told anyone about it, but she felt comfortable in this boys presence. He was the only one who understood.

She nodded without a word and they both walked around the side of the school, just in case anyone was to come out and see them. Tris struggled to get her jacket off and Tobias helped gently ease her injured arm through. He let out a sharp gasp at the swirling, silver scars that adorned her pale skin. From a distance the glossy appearance of the scars could be passed off as a trick of the light, but up close Tobias could see the detail and pain Tris must have endured. "Oh, Tris. You poor thing," he murmured.

He traced one of the spirals that curved around her elbow like a vine and she shivered. "As you can see, Andrew has a predisposition to using knives," she whispered, looking away and finding a particularly interesting piece of grass.

"Belts," whispered Tobias as he pulled away and helped Tris put her jacket back on.

"What?" She asked confused. Tobias took of his jacket and shirt in one swift motion. He turned around and didn't say anything more. He didn't need to.

Tris let out a moan of despair at the criss-crossing scars that decorated Tobias's back. She understood now, he had been whipped with a belt. She could see welts where the buckle had come down on his tender skin. The entirety of the flesh on his back was an angry red and she could see bruises marring his toned shoulders. The wounds were so different yet so similar to her own. Where hers were refined and curved, his were jagged and created lighting like patterns, as if Marcus had carefully thought about where he wanted each scar to be placed.

Tris didn't pity Tobias. No, pity would imply she felt sorry for him, but didn't completely understand. She _empathised _with him. She understood his situation and it pained her to think that someone else had to undergo such treatment.

"I saw you jump onto the Dauntless train," said Tobias, turning around and putting his shirt and jacket back on. Tobias watched as Tris's face paled as all the blood rushed out and he backtrack. "No, no, I'm not going to get you in trouble. I want, I want you to take me with you next time," he finished breathlessly.

It took Tris a few moments to even comprehend what he was asking. She was just relieved that she wasn't going to be tattled on about her nightly outings. They were her only escape from the world and if that was taken away from her... Well, she didn't know what she would do.

"Do you promise never to tell anyone about any of my secrets?" Asked Tris very seriously.

"I Candor promise," replied Tobias as equally serious. "So long as you promise never to tell any of mine."

"Candor promise," Tris agreed, suddenly breaking out into a huge grin. "You are officially my best friend!" She hugged him tightly and let go before he could respond. "Meet me tonight at the tracks at 2:30," she smiled. "I hope you're not scared of heights!" Tris never picked up on the fear that flickered through his eyes before it dissipated.

Tris's eyes widened as she took in the setting sun over Tobias's now clothed shoulder. Andrew was going to kill her, but the thought couldn't dim her happiness. She had a friend!

Tobias was thinking the same thing, knowing he was going to get a whooping when he got home. He wasn't worried though, he knew tonight he would be able to escape into the night with Tris and forget his worries.

"The buses have left already!" exclaimed Tris, pointing to the empty bus stop as they rounded the corner.

"Then we will just have to walk, fatty," he teased, poking tris lightly in the stomach.

Tris gapped comically at Tobias. "You're not supposed to call a girl fat!" she screeched indignantly.

"Girl?" he asked with a lopsided grin. "I don't see any girls. Just me and your fatass," his eyes alight with laughter.

"That's it!" She pounced at him. Tobias moved out of the way and ran down the road towards Abnegation.

Tris gave chase, but her little legs couldn't keep up. Looking back Tobias noticed and slowed down. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down the street, laughing all the way. "Come on, slowpoke. If we go at your pace we will never get home!"

"I am not slow!" She protested, but laughed, not being able to keep a straight face.

Candor and Erudite watched through their windows with puzzled expressions as the two Abnegation ran down the street laughing and holding hands.

**~.~.~**

Tris and Tobias became inseparable from that day forward. They were two halves of a whole and everyone around them could see it. Almost the entire student body was under the impression that they were a couple. This is how Tris and Tobias earned the self the reputation of being 'loose stiffs'. The pair just kept their heads down during school, not caring what the others thought of them. They still had to go to separate classes, but as soon as lunch time came around they could be seen sitting in a corner talking quietly to each other.

The teachers weren't sure what to make of the Abnegation couple. They didn't act like a couple, but they didn't deny it either. For all they knew the pair could have a brother/sister relationship, so they let it be.

Caleb had tried to break up the friendship early on, but Tobias was easily able to scare him off with his intimidating size. Tris had heavily threatened Caleb that she would tell Marcus all of his secrets if he even breathed a word her friendship with Tobias to his father. Caleb seemed to be successfully cowed by the daunting figures of Tobias and Tris together. The siblings relationship changed from hatred to simply ignoring each other when the other was around. There was an unspoken rule of 'I won't get in your way if you don't get in mine.'

Tris introduced Tobias to the Dauntless Headquarters and he thrived in the freeing atmosphere. She taught him how to throw knives, which was her specialty and Tobias taught her how to fight without weapons. He had a fascination with hand-to-hand combat and would often sneak into Dauntless to watch the trainers and initiatives fight, learning the all the techniques by heart.

The abuse at home never stopped for either Tris or Tobias. In fact, it almost seemed to increase as they got older and their attackers couldn't seem to wipe the smiles of their faces. Little did Andrew and Marcus know it was because their victims knew the pain was temporary and that they would see each other soon. Sometimes Tris and Tobias would head over to Dauntless, other times they would just ride the train, tending to each others wounds and talking. Simply being able to vent and talk about their issues was enough.

By the time Tobias turned twelve he had completely gotten over his fear of heights. Being forced to jump into Dauntless headquarters hundreds of times in the dark over the last two years would do that to a child. He suddenly came to the realisation one day that a fear of heights was silly. It was a fear of falling that made more sense. Even then he conquered the fear. He knew the jump into Dauntless was safe. He knew there was a sturdy, safety net at the bottom that would catch him every time. So what reason was there to be scared? He relied on his abilities and put his trust in the net and suddenly his fear was gone. He felt alive. He felt free.

He was by no means fearless, but it was like a giant unnecessary weight was lifted off his shoulders. When Tris jumped down the net after him, he could help the impulse to kiss her.

Ten year old Tris was still dizzy from jumping into Dauntless when Tobias wrapped his arms around her and sealed his lips to hers. Tris had only just started to notice boys a few months earlier and had been harbouring a secret crush on her best friend. When his lips touched hers she was frozen in shock, she hadn't really ever imagined Tobias thinking about girls like that let alone her.

"I'm not afraid anymore," he whispered against her lips before pulling back. He could only just see the blush spreading up Tris's face in the dim lighting, mimicking his own. '_I can believe I just did that,' _he thought with a groan. Tobias was thoroughly convinced he had ruined his friendship with Tris forever when she lent up and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Congratulations," she replied with a soft smile.

Tobias let out a sigh of relief at not stuffing everything up and smiled back. Taking her hand gently he led her down the corridor towards the pit. He would take things slow. She obviously didn't like him that way and he would have to be content with cherishing their friendship.

Tobias was abruptly yanked to a stop by Tris's persistent hand. He looked back at her in confusion right as she lent forward into him boldly.

Tris gave him a long kiss which left him disorientated, wondering what he did to get so lucky. "No one takes my first kiss and just walks off like nothing happened," she whispered furiously in his ear. "Beside, I like you too Tobias," she uttered breathlessly. Her blush deepened to a dark, fuchsia red and she led him down the hallway with a tight grip on his hand. She was too embarrassed to look back at his face.

If she had, she would have seen the dopey, lopsided grin and glazed eyes that graced his features.

**~.~.~**

**AN: *wipes sweat of brow* Well, that's a load of my chest. That ran wildly away from my original plan, but altogether I'm pretty happy with it. **

**Sorry for any future cliff hangers. Try to think of them as a hint into the next chapter rather than a tease. **

**Hope you guys liked the chapter and I will try to pump out more as fast as I can. **

**Please leave a favourite, follow, review etc. every time I see one I get a warm fuzzy feeling and it helps me to write faster. It's not bribing when it's true. Also to anyone who reviews, if you want me to reply or have a question let me know. If not I probably won't reply just because I don't want to be a bother if you are one of those people who review on everything you read. **

**For all of you ghost readers, don't worry. I understand. I am very lazy at reviewing and feel terrible about it.. **

**Any flamers will be laughed at for wasting their life meaninglessly complaining on a Fanfiction site. Constructive criticism is welcomed with open arms though. **

**Finally, sorry for any grammar mistakes I'm super tired and kinda rushed the spell check. I will try to go over and edit it again tomorrow :)**

**~ Mercy**


	3. Chapter 3: Birthday Surprises

**AN: Over 1000 views altogether so far and that was only up to chapter 2! You are all amazing and thank you so much for the support! **

**I tried to get this out faster, but I have a 2000 word essay due tomorrow, *checks watch* I mean today, that I had to finish first. **

**Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure Veronica Roth wouldn't write Fanfiction on her own book. Just saying.**

**~.~.~**

Chapter 3: Birthday Surprises

Tris was in a good mood today, not even her brothers sneers as she cooked him breakfast could sully her excitement. Today she turned thirteen.

This was a major stepping stone in her life, she was officially a teenager. Nothing had changed much, she look exactly the same as she did yesterday, but she felt different. She felt free, independent. All the things she never thought she would be able to feel in Abnegation. Only three more years and she could leave this torture chamber. Even if she stayed in Abnegation she would get a nice modest house on the other side of the faction, never to see her father again.

Practically skipping around the kitchen, Tris deposited Caleb's breakfast in front of him with a toothy grin. He squinted at her in suspicion, but soon turned to the food as the delicious aroma wafted up from the plate. With Caleb successfully distracted, Tris pivoted noiselessly on her heal and tip toed towards the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?" A voice interrupted her just as she turned the handle. So close, she thought with a wistful glance at the door.

"I was just heading to school, Sir. I wanted to leave early incase anyone along the way needed help," she answered with fake sincerity.

Andrew crossed his arms and moved in front of the door, blocking any real chance Tris had at escaping.

"Curious," he observed with beady eyes. "I don't seem to recall you ever doing such a thing before today."

"You must not have been paying enough attention, Sir," she murmured with a challenging catch in her voice.

He leaned over her, using his imposing figure to intimidate her and asked, "what was that, _girl_?"

"Nothing, Sir," she remarked with distain. "I was merely implying that you might not have noticed because you are always so busy with important jobs for the faction," she flutter her lashes and used her big, blue, puppy dog eyes to the best of her ability. Unfortunately for Tris, Andrew was a psychopath and picked up on the sarcasm.

"Little bitch. I am your father and you will give me the proper respect I deserve! I have fed and clothed your selfish ass even when your whore of a mother ran off."

"Father? You?" Tris laughed without humour. "I haven't ever thought of you as a father. You wouldn't even know the meaning of family," she belittled.

"Why you-"

"No! It's my turn to talk! You beat me, starve me and then call me selfish even though I cook and clean endlessly for you people! What kind of respect do you think you deserve?" Tris ranted. She was too far gone to stop now. Years of anger and hatred had built up in her system that even her throwing knifes couldn't quench. "You can't even call yourself a father to Caleb. You're blind to how much of a stuck up Erudite you've taught him to be!" Tris accidentally slipped out.

"You dare speak about my son like that, you insolent whelp!" He yelled, spittle flying from his mouth. Taking a step forward Andrew pulled back his arm and used all his power to punch her in the face. The force of the blow sent her flying to the floor, but Tris simply laughed hysterically and spat out the blood which has accumulated in her mouth.

"You can't hurt me, Andrew! You can break my body, but you will never win!" She laughed insanely again. "Besides, you're just pissed because you subconsciously know the truth." She had spilled to much already, may as well go out all the way. "Caleb has been and always will be an Erudite; and I can't wait to see the look on everyone's faces when he converts at the choosing ceremony."

"Lying bitch!" Caleb joined in, hearing the fight from the other room. Neither Andrew nor Tris had noticed him leaning against the kitchen door frame. "I knew your boyfriend was poisoning your mind," he sneered. The pact of silence had been broken.

"Boyfriend?!" Marcus practically screamed, while Tris simultaneously yelled, "he is not my boyfriend!"

At that moment Tobias burst through the front door, accidentally shoving Andrew to the ground. He didn't even notice as he ran over and knelt next to Tris's prone form. "Are you ok? I heard yelling and got worried."

Tris smiled at Tobias's concerned face. It made him increasingly anxious as he noticed the red blood smearing her teeth.

"Ah, young Tobias," said Andrew, getting up off the floor and dusting himself off. His voice did nothing to conceal his silent rage. "We were just talking about you." It wasn't phrased as a question, but Tris noticed the way Andrew wordlessly conferred with Caleb just to be sure. The slight tilt of her brothers head tipped her off.

"Don't you know it's rude to gossip," Tobias growled. "Not very Abnegation of you," he taunted. Tobias lent down and gently scooped Tris up in his arms. The strain hurt his own aching flesh from the beating Marcus gave him earlier but his body was filled with adrenalin from seeing Tris's situation.

"You will put Beatrice down right now!" Yelled Marcus as he noticed the movement. He lunged forward and grabbed hold of Tris's jacket and pulled hard. Tobias held tight and the jacket was ripped violently for her body, revealing her numerous scars. Tris was almost sure she even heard Caleb take in a sharp gasp of surprise. While he knew she was beaten, he was never around to witness what actually happened and to what extent.

"She is my property," Andrew continued. "And-"

"You _Sir_, are a sick bastard! She is no ones fucking property, she is a person!" He roared, taking a step forward, blue fire burning in his eyes. Without waiting for a response he strode out the open door with calm confident foot steps. Andrew continued screaming profanities as Tris and Tobias's form faded into the distance.

"Tobias," Tris whispered awkwardly around her swelling cheek.

"Yeah?" He asked.

She tightened her bare arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest. "Thanks."

"No problem, Beautiful. Oh, and happy birthday," he replied with a small smile.

It was the last thing Tris saw before black completely took over her vision.

**~.~.~**

Tobias hurried as fast as he could through the school with Tris's unconscious frame. The fact that entire student body was staring at him and Tris never registered in his distraught mind. All his focus was on Tris and getting her better.

The students watched with disgusted interest at the damaged tissue patterns on her arms. Only the Dauntless and a couple of Erudite immediately recognized them as scars. Some of the older Erudite students observed the unfolding scene with calculating eyes. One of them also noticed as some scars peaked out from the bottom of Tobias shirt, which was pulled up in his haste, and pointed it out to his friends.

A few of them put on pitying expression, but most were filled with glee. It wasn't hard to put the clues together and their parents would be very pleased to have this kind of information. Maybe now Erudite could take over as the leader of the factions.

"Come on, Tris. Wake up for me," he pleaded, still searching frantically for the nurses office. He was originally going to take her to the hospital, but thought that they might receive to much attention. Ordinarily, he would have just taken her somewhere to help clean her wounds, but she wasn't waking up like she normally would and he was starting to freak out just a tad...

Finally arriving at the nurses office, Tobias barged in without a second glance. "Ms. Uh, miss nurse," Tobias called. His mind was so scrabbled he couldn't even remember the nurses name.

Nurse Reselda was brought abruptly out of her morning coffee haze by the rather loud appearance of Tobias. The normally reserved and quiet Abnegation boy was practically destroying her room in his bid to- well, she didn't know exactly what he was trying to do.

"Tobias, you are louder than a herd of hippos," quietly exclaimed the bundle in his arms with a croaky voice.

"Oh dear!" Exclaimed the Amity nurse as she saw the forming bruise on Tris's cheek. It was strange to see Amity workers in the city, but she was an Erudite transfer. This gave her an interesting mix of Erudite knowledge and the compassion of the Amity.

"Put her down over her," Nurse Reselda commanded, going into professional mode in the blind of an eye.

Tobias stared at the woman for a moment longer, sensing she wasn't a threat he did as she instructed.

"What's a hippo?" He asked Tris once she was placed down on the clinical bed.

Tris shrugged, "I dunno, our teacher told us about it one time in geography. Apparently they are really fat," she explained with a smirk.

"I though we already agreed you were the fat one, slowpoke!" He joked back lightly.

"Enough of this childishness," interrupted the Nurse. "Now tell me what happened?" She demanded as she got a syringe out of a cupboard.

Tris lifted her head and flinched as she saw the woman approaching her with the giant syringe. "Can I do it?" She asked weakly. The idea of the nurse stabbing her with a needle reminded her too much of Andrews carvings.

The nurse raise an eyebrow. "Do you know how to do it?" She enquired.

Tris shook her head sadly. She had seen them been done before, but in her current state it was probably for the best if she didn't experiment with sharp things and chemicals.

"Here, I'll do it," Tobias spoke up, holding his hand out expectantly. "Uh, if you'll let me I mean," he said suddenly, directing the query to both the nurse and Tris.

Tris shot him a puzzled look, but nodded her assent nonetheless.

"Don't look at me like that," he huffed. "I helped out with the shots last year when their was a medical personal shortage," he defended, crossing his arms over his chest. Tris knew he was joking though, she could see the quirky twinkle in his eyes.

"What's in it?" Asked Tris as Tobias took the syringe and sat down behind her, pulling her into his lap.

"Just some vitamins and things to help speed up the healing process," answered the nurse. She made a dismissive motion with her hand. "Now, is there something you two need to tell me?" Glancing obviously towards Tris's bruising cheek and scarred arms.

Tobias and Tris quickly shared a silent conversation before she answered, "no miss. I was punched by a factionless man when I stopped to help him. The 'scars' on my arms are actually new detailed tattoos. I bribed on of the Dauntless students to bring some of their tattoo equipment to school so they could give me one."

The woman stared them down a moment longer. It was obvious to all in the room that they were lying. "I'm a nurse girl, I know scars when I see 'em. But, due to patient confidentiality I can't do anything about your situation," she sighed. "I've seen this kind of abuse before, mainly among the Erudite and Dauntless. Don't let yourself become another victim. You too Tobias," she added as an after thought.

Tobias was startled by the nurses perceptiveness. He didn't think they were that obvious in their behavior and he never showed his scars.

"I'll just leave you two to it. I can trust you right?" She questioned. Both teenagers nodded sincerely. "So much violence in the world," she muttered to herself as she left for her private office. "So little amity." She needed another coffee.

Tris let out a sigh of relief as the nurse let the room. She got off surprisingly easy all things considering. She immediately tensed up again as she felt the cool chill of the glass from the syringe where it lay on the bed, despite the layer of protection her trousers provided.

"Shhh," calmed Tobias, laying his head on the crook of her shoulder while discreetly picking up the offending object. "Calm down Tris, it's just a small jab. You had one just last year for flu injections."

"I'm sick of being poked by sharp objects," she hissed back, her body tensing further.

Seeing he was getting nowhere, Tobias placed a hand on one of her shoulders and started to gently massage her neck. Tobias smirked as Tris automatically turned into a puddle of goo beneath his finger tips. After a few more minutes he moved her long hair out of the way and paced it over her left shoulder freeing up the right side of her neck. She shivered has he placed a soft, linger kiss on the pulse in her neck. Tris didn't even grasp that had jabbed her just under his lips with the needle until he pulled away and gently removed it.

"Bastard," she whispered.

"Ah, you know you love me," he smiled against her neck. Standing up he headed over to a fridge sitting in the corner of the room.

"Yeah, I do," Tris agreed with an almost silent murmur.

Tobias's sensitive ears only just picked up the sound and he simultaneously wanted to jump for joy and throw up. She loved him?! He didn't know how to handle this information. He loved her too, he had known for years now, but he had never expected this. They weren't even technically dating, they were just... Affectionate with each other. He had never been loved before, or at least not that he could remember, but then again neither had she.

He decided to pretend he hadn't heard this information for now. He would mull it over later when he had more time. Grabbing a blue ice pack, he strode back over to Tris where she sat holding a cotton ball to her throat. Tobias knelt in front of the bed and tenderly held it up to her cheek.

"To stop the swelling," he clarified.

Tris rolled her eyes. "No, really? I thought you were placing an ice pack on my face because you though frostbite was a good look this summer," she replied, he voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Are you always this mean to your saviours?" He smiled.

"Only the egotistical ones," she quipped with a grin of her own.

"Me?" He gasped theatrically, grabbing his chest as if his heart was broken. "You wound me with your sharp words mistress!"

Tris outright laughed at Tobias's antics. She loved how unreserved and melodramatic he was when there was no one else around.

The both decided to stay and chat until lunch time. They knew if they walked in late now the stares would be unbearable. Not to mention Tris still didn't have a jacket to cover her arms.

"Listen," explained Tobias as they walked through the empty halls. "I'll run into the cafeteria and borrow a jacket off one of the guys in my class for you."

"While I do what? Sit out here like I'm hiding? Everyone will know I was too chicken to go out there!" Tris complained.

"Uh," Tobias paused trying to find the right words. "I don't know if you noticed we are kind of trying to hide." He motioned between the two of them where they kind of huddle outside the cafeteria doors. "I would honestly give you my long sleeve shirt, but-"

"It's fine Tobias," she consoled, realising how petty she sounded. "They've all seen mine. There's no reason for them to see yours too," she sighed. "Let me come in with you. That way at least they'll get a long enough look and hopefully not ask about it."

"And besides," Tris added with a flirty wink, referring back to her earlier statement. "I wouldn't be able to keep the girls off you if they saw you without a shirt on."

He shot her a mocking, confident smile before turning serious again. "You ready?"

She didn't say anything. She just gulped and took his outstretched hand.

**~.~.~**

Their timing was quite opportune as lunch had just been called. Almost everyone was too engrossed in there food to notice the two Abnegation sneaking across the room. Almost everyone.

A few Erudites somehow noticed the movement among the swarms of students and spread the information along. They hadn't taken more than seven steps when the entire room was staring and attempting to discreetly point at them.

"I changed my mind," Tris hushed furiously. "They are all staring, let's just leave," she pleaded, digging her heals into the floor while Tobias just continued to pull her along.

"Come on Tris. What happened to the fearless girl I knew?" He goaded.

"She reverted to her Abnegation self where she hates being the center of attention!" She paused. "Where are we going anywa- Are you serious?!" She exclaimed loudly as she notice their destination.

"You of all people should fit in there Tris," he smirked pulling her closer to the Dauntless table.

"Hey," called out Tobias to the Dauntless table, "Uriah, move over you great, big lug." Tobias didn't wait for a response as he shoved the offending boy future down the bench, creating just enough space for the two of them. He sat down, cradling Tris to his side.

"Do you have a death wish?" Questioned Tris quite seriously, placing her red face in his neck to hide her embarrassment.

"Nah, Uriah's alright," he cooed, ruffling the larger boys head with his hand. "Mate, would we be able to borrow your jacket?"

Uriah glared unconvincingly at Tobias before looking up and down Tris with a critical eye. He smiled, sending her a teasing wink. "Anything for a pretty lady."

Tris blushed even further, gingerly accepting the offered black jacket. "Thanks," she squeaked. She wasted no time in covering up the objects of everyone's attention.

Tris hit Tobias, hard, when he laughed at the noise. "Shut up! You try being an Abnegation loner. Oh wait, you are!" She hissed, stealing a piece of his muffin which he had discreetly stolen from a Dauntless girl across the table.

"Hey! You stole my muffin!" He said in mock anger. Tris could see through his ploy to distract her from the gossiping around them but played along nonetheless.

"It's not stealing if it's stolen from a thief," she countered grabbing another piece.

A deep laugh interrupted them, "you two bicker like an old married couple."

Tris gasped in amusement. "He called us old, Tobias! Defend my honor!" She commanded, holding her nose in the air for effect.

"Yes, dear," he nodded solemnly, socking Uriah on the arm.

**~.~.~**

The gossip raged on all day, although no one was quiet sure what to focus their attention on. The markings, or the fact two Abnegation were easily accepted at the Dauntless table.

It was not that uncommon, and a few brave souls had attempted to join the Dauntless table in the past. Mainly, Erudite looking to study them like insects. All had left with at least no less than half of their body bruised. Not from being beaten up or bullied, it was just no outsider seemed to be able to stand the rough housing, but Tris and Tobias gave as good as they got and managed to leave few bruises of their own as gifts.

"That was a stupid idea," complained Tris as they walked out of Faction Responsibilities, the only class that mixed all ages in the same class. It basically stuck the entire student population of each faction in a class and asked for the answers to scenarios. 'If some trips over what do you do?' 'Help them!' An utter waste of time if you asked Tris.

"Admit it. You enjoyed it," remarked Tobias, pulling her through the crowd.

"That's not the point! What if someone recognised me?" She shouted over the noise.

Tobias snorted. "Please, you are as much of a loner in Dauntless as you are in Abnegation. The only person you really talk to there is Tori and I, and I don't count," he reasoned, making his way over to the bus stop, Tris in tow.

Tris huffed, but didn't disagree. "How do you even know Uriah and that anyway?"

"They're in my IT class," he shrugged noncommittally. "I helped them out. Apparently Dauntless aren't very tech savvy," he joked.

The sudden appearance of the bus cause everyone to push and shove forward. The momentum forced Tobias and Tris apart, forcing him onto the bus and her to the back of the line.

It was only her and a Candor boy left once the bus was completely full to the brim. She honestly doubted how some people were breathing on the bus. The Candor boy was trying to shove his way onto the bus and the driver called out that they would have to walk. A few of the Abnegation on the bus tried to swap with him, but they were all shoved at the back.

Tris watched as Tobias shoved his way the window and shot her a pleading expression. She wanted to chuckle at his distress, but she knew how much he hated confined spaces.

'_Deep breaths,_' she mouthed to him through the fogged up glass. Tobias had to physically calm himself down and his breathing eventually slowly to a steady pace.

_'Its not that long of a drive, I'll see you later tonight. Ok?'_ She asked.

_'Ok,'_ he mouthed back with a tight grimace on his lips.

The bus slowly chugged away and Tris followed it's path as it disappeared end into the distance.

"Wait! You're actually walking?!" A voice called after her. Tris turned her head and noticed that the voice belonged to the lone Candor boy, who was staring at her in disbelief.

"Uh, yeah." _What's this guys problem?_ "How else are we going to get back to our factions?"

"Aren't they going to send another bus?" He spluttered.

Tris laughed. "Good luck with that. You wait here and test out that theory, I'm going home," she called over her shoulder and continued walking.

A few seconds later she heard a scrabbling noise and the brown eyed boy caught up and walked beside her. The soothing scent of sage and lemongrass filled her nose and she found herself relaxing around the strange boy. The relaxation didn't last long.

"So..." Said the Candor, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're that girl from today."

Tris turned her head away and gave into the temptation to roll her eyes. "Yes, I was one of the few hundred girls at school today. Well done."

"But the markings on-" he tried again.

"Tattoos mate," Interrupted Tris. "Bribed a Dauntless when I was younger."

"But-"

"Listen I know you're Candor and everything, but sometimes you need to learn when to not ask questions," she hissed menacingly.

They both walked in an awkward silence for the remainder of the factionless district. Eventually the came to the fork in the path that split the the Abnegation from the Candor.

"Um," the boy started as Tris was about to continue walking. Taking a deep breath she faced the boy, hoping to get the pleasantries over and done with. "It was nice to meet you and uh..." He trailed off, staring over Tris's shoulder.

"Well, well, Beatrice," growled the familiarly sinister voice behind her. "Too busy making friends to get home in time? How selfish of you."

Tris shivered, something about the way he was speaking didn't sound right. '_Find help_,' she mouthed to the Candor boy still frozen in shock.

All calm she might have felt fled her body at the sight of Andrew holding a knife by his side. A Dauntless knife. One of her knives.

"Father," she spat. "I apologise. The bus was full so I had to give up my seat to a Candor," she bowed her head. She was surprised by own sudden submissiveness. She didn't like this, her father never attacked her in public, certainly never with an eye witness around.

"Interesting knife I found stuffed in your mattress," He continued as if she hadn't spoken at all. "Why don't you run along, boy. I trust you will speak to no one of this." Andrew never looked up from admiring the onyx blade, but the hard edge in his voice was unmistakable.

The nameless Candor, promptly spun around and sprinted away. '_Please let him be getting help_,' Tris thought mournfully to herself.

"I never thought my daughter was so rebellious until today. But now I find she has a boyfriend, secrets weapons, making friends with Dauntless and Candor, spilling secrets..." He trails off, tapping the knife against his finger as he checks off each item off his list.

"So, daughter," he takes a step forward, "what else have you been hiding?"

Tris was internally conflicted. One part of her wanted to fight, while her subconscious wanted to submit for her basic survival. She was strong, but even she knew there was noway she would be able to overcome a full grown man like Andrew. Her prior part won.

"You can't control me, Andrew. I'm thirteen today, three more years and I'm free for good," she smiled evilly.

"Thirteen you say?" Asked Andrew calmly. "You have become too much of a hassle girl, but it's only fair I give you a gift for your big day," suddenly, without warning he lunged for Tris.

He was standing to close by that point for Tris to dodge and all she could do was take a deep breath as the blade struck her directly over her heart.

Tris didn't scream, she didn't cry out, she just lay still as the pain spread through her veins like wildfire. He stabbed her. He wanted her dead. Her father by blood, and blood alone, was trying to kill her. She wasn't scared so much as shocked. He couldn't get away with this. She would not go out like this. She had to _survive_.

Tris's eyes glazed over to a dull gray, but not from death. Something in Tris snapped that day. Something in her was confined while another was released. Her instincts took over and she took a deep shuddering breath, her eyes fluttered shut, and her body went still.

The sound off running footsteps echo against the derelict walls of the surrounding area and Andrew mutter, "shit," taking off in the opposite direction.

Tris took in a gulp of air as Andrew fled from the scene. She had presented to be unconscious before, but never dead. An unshaven face appeared in her line of vision as the factionless man rushed over to her body. His eyes widened as he took in her face. "Fuck. You're her-" he froze as his eyes connected to the knife protruding from her chest. The man haggardly wrapped his hands around the handle and was about to pull when he was interrupted.

"If you don't want me to die," Tris spoke without emotion, "I suggest you leave the dagger in. It's a jagged blade that will rip up my insides and make me bleed out further when removed."

The man immediately let go of the hilt and instead took off his shirt and started applying pressure around the wound. The cloth was soaked within seconds and he started frantically calling out for help. The blood loss was starting to make Tris woozy, but she was almost certain she saw more black shadows enter the scene as her body began to shut down.

~.~.~

Tris felt nothing when she woke up. Not the soft mattress beneath her body, nor the cool air that caressed her face. She didn't even feel empty. She just was.

A serious Dauntless man saw the movement through one of the ICU windows and entered the sterile room. He had expected to be assaulted by numerous questions and emotions by the terribly wounded girl, but he was shocked when all he met was stoney silence and indifference. He school his face into his usual unaffected mask, but knew he would never be able to perfect it to the extent the girl in front of him had done.

"Good evening," he nodded to her. "Beatrice, is it?" He assume it was when she didn't answer. "Well Beatrice, you are a very lucky girl. The dagger you were stabbed with pierced your heart and you were minutes from bleeding to death when you arrived here. You were put through extensive surgery and have been unconscious for three days due to all the healing serums you were given," he read off a clipboard, sitting on a bedside table.

"Mostly, Im just here to let you know the man who attacked you was arrested and been executed for his crimes."

Tris knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help releasing a small smile at Andrews demise. _About damn time..._

The Dauntless officer smiled back, glad to have finally gotten a reaction from the frail girl. "The factionless man will never bother you again, I do believe your father and brother are in the waiting room. Shall I send them in?"

And with that, Tris's world came crumbling down once more.

**~.~.~**

**AN: Welcome to the chapter where everyone hates me! This is where I imagine everyone will leave the fic and my favourite and follows will disappear like they were dropped off a cliff. Actually no, that's probably the next chapter. You'll just mildly hate me for the ending of this one. **

**Grammar and editing sucks because I'm half dead and can not be bother fixing it now. I will try to extensively edit it late when I get more time. **

**Also, WOOO! Over 5000 words in this chapter :D **

**Flames will be used to heat my house as it is freaking cold right now. But feel free to rant at me about why I am a terrible, terrible person. But hey, at least I haven't killed her off! Unlike some people *glares at Veronica Roth* -.- **

**Now that I've finished defending myself, I'm going to bed! Yay. **


	4. Chapter 4: I'm Factionless

**AN: So many favourite/follows/reviews! Thank you all so much and I hope you enjoy this chapter... Though I doubt it, I both loved and hated to write it. **

**If you haven't already noticed I'm slowly trying to increase the size of my chapters so it might take longer to get ready for you guys. I'm up to about 9 - 10 pages per chapter at the moment. Although this chapter was a little shorter than the last. Only about 8 pages. **

**Sorry, I took so long to get this chappie out. Its been hectic lately and the writers block bug finally decided to take a bite at my story. I think I'm over it now, but exams are coming up soon, so it's priority. **

**Gonna be a couple of flashbacks, hope that's okay! *sits in the corner biting nails in worry* **

**Disclaimer: If a pack of lawyers decided to hunt me down and sue me, these crummy little disclaimers aren't going to really hold up. It's more tradition than anything else. But if you ARE a lawyer, this is not mine, I am poor, please don't take what little money I have! **

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 4 (I'm Factionless) **

"Uuuggghhhh," moaned an Erudite, holding his arms out in front of him as he shuffled past, snickering to his friends. It didn't even register in Tris' mind that she was being mocked. He wasn't a threat, he didn't have anything she required, therefore he was insignificant and her attention was diverted to more important issues, like food. She could feel that her body required nourishment and so she would get it.

**_~FLASHBACK ~ Two Days After the Incident~_**

_It was about half past six when Tris walked into the kitchen. Her brother watched as she evenly stepped over to the cupboard and took out an apple without so much as a glance to Andrew. _

_Both men were too astonished by her blazon disregard of their presence, that nothing was said for a few moments. Tris had been holed up in her room since she had been brought back from the hospital, never saying a single word. Not that Andrew or Caleb ever talked to her. _

_"Girl," Andrew finally growled. "What do you think you are doing?" _

_Tris looked up at Andrew curiously. "I am collecting food, Father." The words were spoken so self assuredly, he didn't know what to say in response. "This body requires food in order to function, so food it will get," she shrugged stiffly, before disappearing upstairs, apple in hand. _

_Andrew simply sat back down and let her walk away. He didn't know what to make of this new Tris. She was different, even he could see it. The fire in her eyes was missing. No not missing, vanished completely. The dull, glazed sheen that covered them would have worried him if he had honestly ever cared. But he didn't, and so it was dismissed as another one of her freakish abnormalities. _

**~.~.~**

It had been over three years since that fateful day, three years since she had smiled or felt any emotion whatsoever. The students at school had taken to calling her zombie or robot, not that she noticed. She was well aware that she was the social pariah of the school, but it was for the best. Friends were distractions and unnecessary, puerile desires. Somewhere, in the recess of her mind, she knew the way she acted was not natural, but she was too tired to care. To tired of life to really give a damn.

She still had the primal urge to survive and it was almost the only thing that kept her going these days. Every now and then she would feel a spark of rebellion, but it was quickly squashed by her conscious telling it was a bad idea and would put her life in jeopardy. Originally she had fought it, but she was overpowered by the overwhelming instinct that had invaded her mind.

The only rebellion she had managed was one year earlier when she had taken one last trip to Dauntless. She rode the train during the night and had snuck in while everyone was asleep. Tris had rushed into the tattoo parlor, and taken some equipment in a last stand of defiance. She could feel her willpower wavering as she set up a mirror in front of her and begun marking her skin. The cold, yet comforting feel of the pain as she tattooed her chest kept her aware during the entire session. As soon as she placed the needle back on the table, the consciousness crept back in. She had made her way to Abnegation robotically and forgot about the whole experience. The only thing she would remember is the navy eyes that followed her movements as she left the compound.

The next day she marveled at the tattoo running up over her heart to the tip of her collarbone. She could see that the design had been expertly applied, and if she didn't know better she would have thought it was real. The ink was sketched to make it look like her skin had been ripped open, slightly curling at the edges. Inside lay numerous coloured wires and gears, reminding her of a machine. The intricate detail and shadows used was mesmerizing. For a second she was almost annoyed that someone would imply she was a mere machine, but looking closely she noticed a flash of red she hadn't seen before. A heart, a human heart was hidden under the wires and churning gears. It's seemed alive as it sat directly over her real heart, beating in time. It strained against the coloured wires, confined by her mechanical self. Under everything, she was still human, one just had to watch carefully. The only flaw in the design was a large scar running through the heart, a flaw that could not simply be coloured over.

Tris pulled her shirt collar a little bit higher at the memory. She sat down at her usual corner of of the Abnegation table, after all, factions never mixed. Tris stretched out her tense muscles. Once she was done they went straight back to their stiff movements and posture. The rest of the school slowly began to filter in, mostly subdued. Today was the Aptitude testing day. Even the younger years who didn't have to take the test were quiet. The significance of the day was not lost on their growing minds.

The seat next to Tris was empty as always and her lips turned down slightly.

**_~Flashback ~ Three Days After the Incident~_**

_Tris walked calmly through the halls despite the pointing and staring. She barely noticed. Her father had commanded she go to school today, declaring that she had made a full recovery. Of course that was a completely untrue and her wound was still angry red and inflamed. The special serum the doctors had injected into her system had helped close the laceration much faster than normal, but shooting pains still traveled through her body every step she took. _

_The entire school had been spreading rumors in her absence about exactly what had happened. Guesses ran rampant from a simple sick day, to she had died and come back as the undead. The idea wasn't that far off, agreed many as they watched how stiffly she moved. Only a couple of Erudite and Dauntless guessed correctly, but none shared their thoughts. A lone Candor watched her with obvious guilt and self loathing in his eyes. He knew he could have done something, he knew he could still tell someone. He was silent. _

_By the end of the school day, the teachers had been forced to answer the students to quell the raging rumours. Everyone was under the impression she was stabbed by a random, factionless along the route home. Students from all ages tried to ask her about what happened, but Tris was completely oblivious to their plight. _

_"Tris!" an Abnegation boy called out pushing through the crowd to get to her. _

_Tris twitched slightly at the name, no one called her that besides… _

_Tobias dragged Tris by the arm to the side of the hall. She allowed herself to be dragged. It was a minor inconvenience, but he was of no threat to her person. "Tris," he shuddered out coming to a stop as the flow of students continued on around them. _

_"I have been instructed by my father that I am not allowed to talk to you. He kindly allowed me this time to tell you this, but we are to have no contact whatsoever after this meeting," the words flowed from Tris' mouth. They felt like sandpaper grating against her throat, but she was powerless to do anything to stop them. _

_"Tris?' asked Tobias in a panicked voice. He gripped her roughly by her shoulders forcing her to look at him. He let out a sharp gasp, seeing her dead, grey eyes. "Tris, what did he do to you?" he demanded. "Oh god," he whimpered, not waiting for an answer. "I'm so, so sorry. I should have stayed with you. I should have demanded to get of the bus and walked you home." _

_"Sir," Tris interrupted. "I'm going to have to ask you to let me go. I have said what I needed to say and unless you are in need of assistance I will be going," Tris stated calmly. _

_"Tris, it's me, Tobias!" He gripped Tris even tighter, to the point bruises would show. At this knowledge Tris sprung into action. She stepped forward into his embrace and bent slightly. Tobias didn't even have time to ask what was going on, before she pushed back up with all her might. The top of her head connected with the bottom of his jaw and the force of the impact almost lifted him off the ground. _

_He fell back in astonishment, she had never struck him before. leaning back on his elbow, he stared up at her in awe and fright, along with the rest of the hall which had come to a stand still at the commotion. "You would not remove yourself from my person so I was forced to take action," she explained with a face of stone. Her body was tightly coiled, ready to strike again if need be. _

_"I love you, Tris!" he pleaded desperately from the floor. His eyes slowly filled with mercury tears at her silence. "And I know you love me too, you said so just a few days ago!" He demanded._

_Without a word or glance, Tris walked into the cafeteria and sat in her usual seat on the corner of the long table. She had done what needed to be done. _

_The seat beside her usually occupied by Tobias remained, and always would remain, empty. _

**~.~.~**

Caleb sat in the seat across from Tris with a bored expression. Tris sat with none at all. It was Aptitude day. The day where they practically found out where they would spend the rest of their lives. Sure they could choose differently, but ultimately people found if they choose differently they turned out miserable in a place they feel they didn't belong.

Most everyone around the two abnegation were nervous and pale. One girl had already fainted today on the way to the testing room. Some Dauntless guards had to carry her into the room, only Tris found it strange when she was never seen exiting the room. Caleb is called in the next group of names and Tris sat silently as he passed her. Nothing needed to be said, they both knew he was destined for Erudite. A short ten minutes later Caleb back down next to Tris. He looked quite content, but still worried. Tris could tell he was worried about how Andrew would react when he ultimately found out his decision.

"Beatrice Prior," called out one of the guards along with nine other names. The Candor that left the room Tris was about to enter looked slightly disgruntled, but sat down quietly in her now vacant chair. Tris gave a quick nod of acknowledgment to the guard and carried on into the clinical room. She briefly wondered why guards needed to be stationed outside the doors, no one would be stupid enough to pull a runner.

The guard gave Tris a curious look as he noticed her long hair. Make no mistake, it was still bound by a rubber band know for the abnegation, but it was quite clearly longer than any other Abnegation. When let loose, which was rarely if ever, it reached down to the bottom of Tris' lower back.

The Dauntless woman in the room was short and a familiar tattoo on the back of her neck stood out as it seemed to glare at Tris with it's blazing red eye. She wasn't sure why it was familiar and it bugged Tris as a small inkling niggled at the back of her mind.

The room was surrounded on all sides by mirrors which reflected back at her. The only break in the room was a reclining chair with a small machine next to it hold various pointy objects and probes.

"Don't worry," started the woman as she spun around. "It doesn't- Skylar?" She seemed to screech, fumbling around with the needle she held in her hands.

Tris stared at the woman with blank eyes. Now she knew why she seemed familiar. She should have know Tori was going to be working the aptitude test today, but what were the odds she would get her? One out of two, Tris quickly did the math in her mind, with the other helpers all being Abnegation... Okay, so they were pretty big odds.

"It's Beatrice actually," answered Tris sitting down on the chair without being asked.

"Yes," mussed Tori with a suspicious look. "I knew there was something going on with you, but I never expected you to be Abnegation. I always believed you were an Erudite."

"I'm too dumb to be Erudite," said Tris bluntly.

Tori frowned, she never expected her reunion with Skyl- Beatrice, to go like this. She didn't know what had happened to her little helper. She had asked around Dauntless, but no one had ever heard of her. If she didn't know better, she would have though her a ghost. The Skylar she knew was excitable and snarky, but this Beatrice scared her. She was so... Closed off.

"So," started Tori as she placed electrodes on Beatrice's forehead. "Where have you been all this time? I missed you in Dauntless."

Tris frowned, people didn't miss her. She was just another Abnegation, forgettable. "I don't see how this could help with your examination, but I have been helping my father in Abnegation as I should."

Tori found herself frowning again. She knew it had been a long time since they had seen each other, but she confused by such outright dismissal of their mentor relationship. Tori decided to simply say nothing as she passed her the clear vial of liquid. She would talk to Tris when she arrived in Dauntless. There was no doubt in her mind Tris would have an Aptitude for Dauntless.

Tris tipped the contents of the vial into her mouth, smacking her lips at the sugary sweetness. Her eyes closed of their own accord and she saw no more.

**~.~.~**

Tris found herself in the middle of the school cafeteria. The room was creepily deserted, the only light coming from the sun struggling to stream through the snow which fell outside the glass windows. The table in front of her sat two baskets, one containing a knife and one containing cheese.

"Choose," bellowed a mature female voice. It seemed to come from everywhere and no where at all.

Tris walked up to the basket, instantly dismissing the cheese. What a stupid thing to put as a choice. Would this affect someone's future if they were lactose intolerant? Tris knew they vial of liquid she took was some kind of hallucinating drug. She knew this was just a simulation, not only was she aware her mind could see a faint silver outline of the testing room. She watched as the mercury sketch of a person next to her seemed to tap on a rectangular box as the voice repeated "choose."

Tris was about to grab the knife when she abruptly froze. It was a Dauntless knife, an exact replica of one of the old knives she used to own. The knife she was stabbed with.

'_DANGER_' blared thoughout her mind and she took several steps away from the basket.

"No," replied Tris. You couldn't pay Tris all the money in the factions for Tris to touch that knife, even virtually.

"Fine, have it your way," the voice spoke in a disapproving tone.

The baskets dissapeared as a door squeaked behind Tris. The sound of padding reached her ears and Tris ducked as a blur of brown flashed over her head. The dog was over half her size and slid to a stop. Spittle flew from it's snarling jaws as it turned, facing it's prey.

Tris watched the dog analytically. The dog was a threat to her person, but she refused to hurt it. It was the moral, human part left in her. She would survive, but she would not cause harm. To many years of being abused had put her off ever wanting to cause anyone or anything physical harm.

The dog lunged at Tris again and she rolled out of the way. It powerful hind legs almost scraped her shoulder, but years of dodging her father and Dauntless trainnig had honed her reflexes.

For several minutes the dog continued to lunge for Tris while she simply rolled out of the way. She could see the dog was tiring, but not going to give up. As the dog jumped at her one last time she weaved her arms around his outstretched claws and grabbed onto the large dogs shoulders. She pushed off the ground slamming the dog back and into the floor. It let out a large whine before snapping its jaws at Tris' face as she attempted to pin the beast down. One of the dogs claws scraped down her cheek and something in her snapped.

Tris opened her mouth and let out an inhuman, primal roar that echoed through the empty room. The dog physically reared back at the noise, as Tris stared down into its black eyes. It whined out a slew of high pitched barks as it lay down and rolled onto it's back as a sign of submission.

Tris growled one more time at the cowering dog, placing a firm knee on it's bared belly as the Alpha of the two. "Good Boy," she murmured, removing her knee. She gave his stomach a quick scratch before standing up. The dog whined again, sitting up next to Tris' right side. He panted, tongue lolling out in a lopsided grin as he looked up at his new master.

"Puppy!" Yelled a young girl as she materialised across the room, her white dressed body shimmering into view.

_'Its a simulation,'_ Tris reminded herself and the dog bolted towards the girl. _'She is not real and doesn't concern me.'_

Tris watched unaffectedly as the dog pounced on the screaming girl. Red stained white as the violence flashed out of view.

The scene changed, but the silver blueprint remained the same. A Candor sat next to her in what appeared to be a bus. The windows revealed nothing but inky blackness.

"Do you know this guy?" He asks tapping a newspaper which he held in his heavily scarred hands. Tris softened for a second, seeing the flaws which reflected her own.

"Well?" The angered voice demands, "do you?"

'_What is my objective meant to be here?'_ Tris thinks to herself as she stand up walking away from the fuming man.

"I asked you a question, girl," demands the man, grabbing into her bicep. Tris watched in horror as his face morphed into Andrews while everyone on the bus sat as if nothing was happening.

"Sir," Tris stressed. "I would kindly ask that you remove yourself from me at once."

"Not until you answer my question!" He growled.

Tris didn't have time for this and socked him in the face. He was acting in a threatening manner and causing bruising on her arms. She justified her answer as everything went black until only the silver lining remained.

**~.~.~**

Tris blinked as the professional lights in room six, shone straight into her swirling, grey eyes. Tori hurriedly pulled the electrodes from Tris' head, a pinched expression set permanently on her face. Tris waited patiently in the chair as Tori took a deep breath, grabbing into the machine for support.

"What are you?" She whispers. Typing rapidly on the small screen that appeared out of the wall with a wave of her hand.

"What kind of question is that?" Asked Tris seriously.

Tori left out a huff, entering the codes and waving the scene away with another swipe.

"I have dealt with many people, even those who fit into multiple factions, but never someone who fits nowhere."

"So, I am factionless?"

"No," Tori tried to explain, but she didn't full understand herself. "The way you handled the dog could possibly be seen as Dauntless, but you didn't pick the knife and I've never seen a Dauntless react like that. Amity and Abnegation are ruled out as you allowed the girl to die..." She trailed off, a haunted look in her eye. "You also didn't choose anything at the beginning, leaving me clueless on what to think," she paused. "You can't be Candor because you didn't help the man on the bus. Even worse, you punched him in the face."

Tris got up hearing all she needed to.

"Where are you going?" Demanded Tori.

"Leaving," Tris shrugged. "Clearly I belong nowhere, so nowhere I shall go."

"Don't be stupid Sky," Tori rolled her eyes. "You're being melodramatic. Actually that might not be such a bad thing! It reminds me of the old you," she smirked.

Tris scowled at her in response, but stopped walking away nonetheless. "What should I tell people?"

"You're not supposed to tell anyone your result," she challenged haughtily, a mocking glint in her dark, angular eyes. "Fine, fine," she sober up. "I've deleted the footage and entered into the system that you qualified for Dauntless."

Tris was about to speak up when she was interrupted.

"Now don't look at me like that. No information is truly deleted once it's entered into the system. If someone was too look it up for some reason, we might be able to convince them you qualified for Dauntless judging by your tussle with the dog and the man."

"Couldn't I be Erudite then?" Tris challenged.

Tori raised a shaped eyebrow as if to ask _'you want to be an Erudite?'_ "No, while you outsmarted the dog, an Erudite would taking in their surrounding and not make hasty decisions. They certainly wouldn't punch a man, just because they were busy."

"Want to bet?" Ask Tris, remembering years ago the way an Erudite boy pushed over an Abnegation girl for being in his way.

"Not much of a gambler," Tori spoke casually. "And I should hope you aren't either, because if this information gets out you will be gambling with your life."

"And how would me not fitting in anywhere be a risk to the faction society?" Questioned Tris.

"You've always been a smart cookie," Tori observed. "Usually people known as Divergent are hunted down and disposed of because they can resist the Erudite serums and don't follow the social norms of the faction. But you. You are something I've never seen or heard of before. Even the factionless all had somewhere they originally belonged. You seemed to be aware of the simulation like the Divergent, but something was different. It was almost like you were never truly in the program at all."

"You mean the silver lining?"

Tori didn't even need to ask, Tris could plainly read the confusion on her face.

"When I was in the simulation, there was a kind of silver outline of everything from this room. It was like I could see through the hallucination. I even saw you typing on the screen when the voice was telling me to choose."

"You are a perplexing child," Tori murmured quietly, almost to herself. "I have no idea what to make of the fact you could actually _see through _the simulation..."

"Seriously though Beatrice, Skylar, whoever you are. You cannot tell anyone about your result."

Tris eyes hardened once more as she turned the door handle. "I've no one to tell anyway." With that she silently left the room.

**~.~.~**

**AN: ****Sorry it's super late (compared to how fast the other chapters were put out anyway). I've been super stressed lately and just not in the mood to write. I'm going to aim to get a chapter out by two weeks each at the latest.**

**My exams are in three weeks so it should be do able. Time will be freed up after then, but I also have a week long camp after that and let's be honest. Computer batteries aren't going to last that long.**

**Just edited this chapter again. I was horrified by all the grammer errors I looked over while I was half asleep!**

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews and favourite. :) you guys are the greatest. I got an extra 1500 views since last chapter! **

**~ Mercy**


	5. Chapter 5: Two with a Death Wish

**AN: You will find some dialog that is the same or very similar to the book. This is because nothing Tris has done can really effect the storyline just yet so they are going to say the same or similar things. I'll try to change it up more in the future! **

**On with the story!**

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 5 (Two with a Death Wish) **

The various sixteen year olds stand in alphabetic order, waiting for their turn the be called up to the stage. The Amity girl beside Tris wipes of her sweaty hands on her yellow sun dress, while her brother stands calmly and proud. Or at least that's how it seems on the outside.

Tris took note of the slightly pinched expression between his brows and the stiff unmoving form of his posture. He was stressing internally over how their father would react. He wasn't blind to the treatment of Tris and didn't want to become a human punching bag himself. Then again, once he left, he knew his father wouldn't be able to get to him. Or at least to a certain extent.

The sea of gray that sat behind them was intimidating and Caleb jumped slightly when a large hand descended onto his shoulder.

"I'll see you both soon," Andrew growls, without a trace of doubt.

Caleb smiled guiltily while Tris just nodded. She knew she was needed in Abnegation, but she could help but think for a second about the freedom of another faction. She was factionless, so essentially she could go anywhere.

Did Amity contain the love and comfort she had always craved? Did Dauntless hold the liberty and danger she was addicted to? Was Erudite the place where her mind could wander and explore the questions she had longed to know? Did Candor embrace the freedom of speech she craved to express? She didn't know.

Andrew walked back to his seat, few rows behind them. Never taking his eyes off the pair.

Tris was startled when a hand grabbed her own. Looking down she noticed the hand was attached to Caleb. If Tris was selfless she would lend him her strength in his hour of need, but she was not, and so she snatched her hand back and glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

Caleb winced at the rejection but knew it was his own fault. Why would she help him after so many years of teasing and torture?

Tris bared her teeth slightly as Marcus walked onto the stage, instantly quieting the excited room. The reaction only lasted a split second as she checked her expression, but it was enough for Caleb to notice the movement. He would puzzle his sister over at a later time, but for now his mind was too occupied with anxiety over his decision.

Tris zoned out as Marcus' droning voice completed the speech he gave ever year. It never changed, not even the year when his own son changed factions. There was mass outrage and disbelief that the son of one of the Abnegation leaders would change factions and no one from Abnegation had spoken to him since. '_Well, they're in for another wild ride today,'_ thought Tris sardonically to herself, side glancing at her golden boy brother.

The first transfer pulls Tris out of her thoughts. A Dauntless into Candor. Voices call out in protest, but it's honestly not that surprising. The Dauntless in a way are a lot like the Candor and will swap initiates much more frequently than Abnegation or say, Amity.

Nevertheless, he will be seen as a traitor by his old faction and although they have the option, it is doubtful his family will come see him on Visitor Day, a week and a half from now.

"Caleb Prior," Marcus calls out.

Caleb walks shakily up to the bowls, staring down into them for a few seconds. His eyes dart between the water and the stones for a moment before cutting his hand and allowing his blood to flow into the water. The once clear water, turns a deep shade of red and Tris smirks.

The outrage and disbelief on Abnegations face and he shakily walks over to the smug looking Erudite is priceless. Half of the faction seemed to be shocked into silence, while the other was already getting their feet to spew profanities at the traitor. Andrews face was slowly turning an unnatural shade of red as he glared at Tris, like it was her fault. He remembered her warnings from years ago that he would turn. Selfless, good Abnegation was in shambles.

"Excuse me," starts Marcus. When no response is gained he yells, "Quiet, please!"

The room quietened down, but angry mutterings could still be heard sweeping through the crowd.

Tris walked up to the stage as her name was called. Marcus' dark blue eyes bored into her as she accepted the knife from his awaiting palm. She infinitely thankful it looked nothing like one of her old throwing knives. The pain from the silver blade barely registered as she handed the knife back and worked her way from right to left.

She instantly dismissed the glass bowl on the far right side. She wasn't honest and she didn't particularly feel like having her brain picked apart as the Candor would. The next bowl was Erudite, it's watery surface held nothing for her. She had ambition, but she didn't have the drive that existed in the Erudite to know Everything. Some things were best left unknown. The Amity bowl was next, it's moist soil from blood held promises for a comforting future of love an acceptance. But somehow it felt lacking.

The flaming coals were next and spoke of a life of excitement and unbidden desires. The adventure and freedom her body craved after an existence of slavery.

The slate grey stones brought reminders of her robotic existence. Boring, dull, but stable. Tris stared at a small pebble, hidden under the larger stones, weighing it down. The pebble had a small crack, spanning from on side to the other. A single feather worth of weight added and it would fracture, broken permanently.

Tris held her hand over the bowl and watched as a single red drop of blood fell from her cut, it was less than five centimeters from hitting the pebble when her other hand snatched the droplet out of the air, cupping it in her palm. The crowd let out a sharp gasp as Tris turned her head over her shoulder looking straight into her fathers eyes. She never look away as the hand that cupped the blood was dropped and sizzled on the Dauntless coal. Smirked evilly at her father, the first show of emotion years.

She was safer leaving, but a small part of her would not simply let her be content in Amity. A Dauntless she once was and a Dauntless she shall be again.

**~.~.~**

Tris stands behind the rest of the Dauntless born initiatives as they wait for the ceremony to finish. She was shorter than all of them and huffs slightly when she can't see over their broad shoulders. As the last girl makes her choice, the Dauntless walk out first, past a sea of grey. Tris refused to look for her father in her old faction. She had put him behind her and she was not looking back.

As the crowd pushed Tris forward she watched her brother as he conversed with a few of the Erudite across the room. He was smiling and laughing with them, but she could see it was a mask to hide any remaining nervousness he might have felt. Caleb catches Tris' eye and send a her a quick look of confusion. He would never have guessed that she would turn out as Dauntless, but now that he look more closely it made sense.

She was beaten down almost everyday, but still got up. The late night excursions that he never told father about, afraid she would rat out his secrets. The throwing knives father found under her bed. Her ability to block out all distractions. The way she took the corner seat of every room, being able to see all the entrances with the slightest tilt of her head.

They both knew he was going to switch into Erudite, but he had never taken the time to wonder if Beatrice would change. It never occurred to his supposedly brilliant mind, despite everything she went through. He knew what she was doing could be seen as cowardly, but he thought she was brave to have made the decision. She wasn't running away, she was being defiant.

The crowd of Dauntless suddenly surged forward as they all broke into a run. The exhilarating power of the group superseded any exhaustion the new initiates might have running up and down flights of stairs.

"What the hell is going on?" A boy next to Tris shouts.

Tris just says nothing as she runs forward with an extra burst of speed. She quickly pulled out her hair tie, letting it stream behind her. She knew she had made the right choice. She was free. A genuine laugh of happiness burst from her mouth, although no one heard it as everyone else was doing the same.

The Dauntless train was fast approaching the loading point and Tris wasted no time in running and hopping onto the last carriage. The fact that a former Abnegation was the first to jump on the train, only has a second to past through everyone else's minds. Worry and nervousness had all ready taken over as the initiates all scrambled to grab ahold.

The train was just how she remembered. The rocking of the carriage hummed soothingly against the tracks. The atmosphere was broken by the loud bangs and panting breaths as the initiates jumped onto the train. Tris leant out of the train and watched as a red headed Erudite boy sat weeping on the track as they pulled away.

Tris felt no sympathy for the boy. She knew how initiation worked, one less person boosted her one spot closer to completing initiation. She might have an aptitude for factionless, but she had no intention of living that life. If it could be called life at all.

"Everyone alright?" Asks a tall Candor girl with gorgeous mocha skin. Her dark eyes scan the carriage filled with mostly faction transfers. Everyone but Tris nods or makes affirmative noises.

The Ex-Candor raises her eyebrow in question at Tris but she takes no notice. Tris was enrapture by her old sanctuary. It had been so long since she had just stood there and enjoyed the wind as it buffered against her small frame. It was exhilarating. She wanted more.

"Hey Stiff!" Called out a rude Candor. "She talking to you as well. Or do you think yourself above us?"

Tris turned to the sound of the noise. The boy was of medium build with dark, shiny hair that gleamed in relative darkness. He sneered at her with his dark green eyes before his face glowed in recognition. "You're that loose stiff from years ago that turned to stone," he laughed. "What's a robot like you doing in Dauntless?"

"What's a smart mouth like yourself doing transferring to Dauntless," she clucked. "Looks like old habits die hard," she snapped. Tris was done. She hadn't even spent a minute with these people and she was already bored. Couldn't people just enjoy the silence?

Stepping over to the edge of the train, Tris hung out side the door, holding on with only one hand. "What are you doing?" Screeched any Amity boy.

"Getting some fresh air." That was all they need to know as Tris used all her might to jump out of the carriage. Everyone watched in horror as the transfer swung out of the open door.

Tris used her one arm still holding onto a hand hold to swing and twist around. The momentum pushed her forward and the air currents flipped her upwards. The metal beneath her feet gave a slight groan as she found herself safely crouched on top of he train. She had only ever done it once before. Her arms had still been too weak and small for her to even think of attempting such a move years earlier. The wind rushed past her a break neck speeds and she knew that with out her gained experience she would have flown off like a leaf.

The Dauntless initiatives yelling at her through the doors was lost in the howling wind. No one could believe what the daredevil Stiff had just done. A number of them were convinced she was dead and the loud banging on the roof was her still body smashing into the unforgiving steel.

The sun setting in the distance created and orange glow bathing the train and it's rooftop passenger. Tris was free and she intended to live life to its fullest without regrets. Her grey eyes lightened just the tiniest bit, taking on the slightest blue tinge.

**~.~.~**

As the train slowed once more, yells could be heard by the initiates below her. "They're jumping off!"

Sure enough, the originally Dauntless initiates were jumping off the train without the slightest hesitation. How did everyone thing they got to and from school everyday?

"Relaxation time is over, I guess," Tris almost whined to herself. Leaning down she grabbed ahold of the edge of the carriage and swung back inside.

"Well, I'm not doing it," said the Amity boy, his cheeks a wet with tears. He jumped as Tris made her appearance. "You're alive?" He questioned in disbelief.

"Not for long if we don't get off the train," she answered as the rude Candor boy jumped out, followed by another girl with a large nose and crooked teeth.

"It'll be alright," consoles a black and white dressed girl. '_Why are there so many Candor?_' Tris questioned internally.

"No it won't! I'd rather be factionless than dead!" He shakes in panic at the rapidly approaching rooftop.

"You can't force him," the girl shrugs before plucking up her courage and leaping away. The rest of the initiates follow until it's just Tris and the Amity boy left._ 'Can't I?_'

"Listen kid," Tris said to the crying boy. She didn't know why she was helping him, but the lost look in his eyes reminded her too much of a puppy. "I want you to shut your eyes and take a deep breath."

The boy did as he was told. "How is this suppose to- AHHHH" his screams cut off his question. As soon as he had shut his eyes Tris had picked him up like a rag doll and chucked him out of the train.

His body landed with a dull thump, the only other sound escaping him was a large whimper of pain. Tris leapt as he landed, reveling in the weightlessness of the seven story jump. Her body suspended in air seemed to still time, but eventually she plummeted towards the rooftop, rolling as she crash. Tris' momentum never paused as she rolled to her knees and walked over to the still crying Amity transfer. She never saw the Dauntless watching her from the other side of the roof with calculating eyes.

"You alright mate?" Tris asked. She was genuine, but her voice lacked emotion. Being back at Dauntless was too overwhelming. The boy was cradling his right arm to his chest while various cuts and bruises littered his entire right side.

"You threw me off a moving train!" He howled. More tears streamed down his face and Tris leaned back slightly in disgust. She was not a very sympathetic person.

"It was that or factionless, which is as good as death. You are welcome," she finished, standing up. She wasn't going to hang around the ungrateful boy. She honestly couldn't see what was wrong with her actions. Little did she know the boy probably would have jumped off of his own free will if she had only offer to help.

A piercing wail launches it's self from a Dauntless girl, she stands staring down at the pavement below. '_Two down already,' _Tris mentally calculated. Even the Dauntless weren't safe.

It's how this place works. Dauntless do dangerous things, dangerous things lead to death. It's inevitable that those who can't keep up will die. Looking back and the Amity boy, Tris reconsiders her decision to save him. She might have saved him from being factionless for now, but it could still lead to his demise.

Tris felt a slight itch on her wrist and pulls up her sleeve to remove the offending ant.

"Ooh scandalous! The Loose Stiff is showing some skin," crooned the rude boy again. Tris overhead some initiates talking about him and learnt his name was Peter.

"No shit? I thought we were all Dauntless initiates now, Peter," she sneered, letting her sleeve fall. "Still having trouble with your Candor tendencies? Maybe if you ask nicely they'll let you back in." Tris battered her eyelashes for full effect.

"Listen up! My name is Max! I am one of the leaders of your new faction!" A man shouts from the other end of the roof. Everyone scrambled towards the man. He did not look like someone you wanted to keep waiting. Tris calmly walked behind the others and stood at attention as his eyes scanned the group. Years of immediately following authority was still ingrained in Tris' psyche.

"Several stories below us is the members' entrance into the compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off you don't belong here," he shot a significant look towards the Amity boy who was engrossed in the detail of a crack in the pavement.

For a minute or so everyone just stood around arguing about who would go first. One suggested water might be there to break their fall. An former Erudite then successfully scared away any courage they might have had by informing them that a jump from that high could still kill them, depending on the depth.

"Just jump already!" Commanded Max, in a clearly authoritative tone.

Tris walked to the edge of the drop and jumped through without a moments hesitation. She had taken this fall hundreds of times, yet it still stole her breath away. There was just a small opening in the blackness as she fell like a stone, back first. Her hair flew up slightly obscuring her view, but the feeling remained the same.

The net at the bottom gentle cradled her body under the foreign weight. The momentum caused her to jump back up and she crouched, straightening up as soon as she regained her balance. Tris let out a large breathy laugh and jumped off the net, she never noticed the man next to the net as he held out a hand to help her out. The other initiates still stared down into the murky blackness. They heard a laugh, but they were unsure if it was the insane Abnegation or the devil from the pits of hell.

"I can't believe it," a female voice mutters through the darkness. "A Stiff, the first to jump? Unheard of."

Tris' eyes adjusted to the dim lighting and she just managed to see the smirk on the pierced woman.

"The man said to jump," Tris shrugged. She was just following orders.

"I see..." The woman trails off. She was clearly disturbed by the answer. No on should just follow orders like that without a second thought. "Looks like we've got another unflinching soldier," she nudges the man next to her with her elbow.

Tris can't help but notice how handsome he is, before she snapped back to more professional thinking.

"What's your name?" The man asks gruffly.

Tris hesitated. Beatrice just didn't fit her anymore, it never really did to begin with. Only one had the privilege of calling her Tris...

"Think about," the man says, a slight curl at the edge of his lips. "You don't get to pick again," he looked straight up into her grey eyes. They widened for a second, before flattening to their usual unaffected state.

"Skylar," Tris stated firmly. The man raised an eyebrow in surprise. What reason did he have to be surprised?

"Skylar? I like it. How Dauntless of you," the girl smiles. "Make the announcement Four."

The man, Four, nods and shouts, "First Jumper- Skylar!"

The crowd behind the two Dauntless cheers and pump their fists in welcome. It's abruptly cut short as another jumper plummets down the hole with an almighty scream. Four offers the boy his hand to help him out of the net. He stick up his nose, insisting he can do it himself. He then promptly gets tangled and falls flat on his face.

The crowd erupts into the laugher and the boy, who Tris recognised as Peter, scowled at them all.

"Welcome," murmers Four to Tris, leading her away with his hand. Tris swears she almost heard him whisper, 'back_.' _

**~.~.~**

The Dauntless compound is exactly as Tris remembers it. She hung around the back of the touring group, taking in the familiar sights and smells. She could just hear Fours deep voice in front as he lectured a Candor about minding their own business. The other Dauntless woman remained at the back of the group, keeping any stragglers on the path.

It was just as well. The Dauntless didn't exactly invest in fences, and it was a pretty, big damn drop into the chasm.

"So, Skylar," speaks up the girl. "I'm Lauren, don't know if I introduced myself?"

"You didn't," said Tris.

Lauren looked at her curiously. "How do you know Four?"

"I don't," she answered.

"Well, it sure looked like he recognised you," Lauren spoke casually.

Tris had never gotten a good look at Four. Dauntless was notorious for its terrible lighting, but looking at the back of his head as he led the group she had to admit he did seem familiar.

"That's nice."

Lauren looked at her strangely again. "Not much of a talker, are ya?"

Tris glared back at the girl. "Not much of a Dauntless, are ya?" She taunted defensively. "Does everyone here shove into others private lives on the first day?"

Lauren's cheeks flushed, turning a strange purple colour with the help of the overhead blue lights. She knew she was this girls senior, but she felt like she was being chastised by her mother.

"The chasm reminds us there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" Four shouts, turning to face the group. His deep set eyes scan the group, lingering on Tris for a few moments long before turning away. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned," he sent a pointed look to Tris once again.

_'What did I ever do? I would never jump off that ledge. It's suicide. Impossible. A challenge...' _Tris let her thoughts trail off. _'No dying on the first day,'_ she thought to herself. _'Note to self: find a way to survive the chasm jump.' _

Tris smirked at the instructor, '_challenge accepted.' _

Four just shook his head and continued on. He couldn't completely control the initiates, no matter who they were.

As the group entered the dining hall a small body, albeit bigger then her shuffled up beside her. "I don't like that look," the boy muttered to her.

Tris looked up at the boy dressed in browns and red. "So you survived, huh? And what look?"

The former Amity looked ruffled but answered, "yes. And that smile that you are about to do something dangerous."

"I'm not about to do anything," Tris scoffed.

"But you will do something dangerous eventually," he pressed for information.

Tris shrugged, "we are in Dauntless now. It's inevitable."

The room cheered and yelled as the initiates searched from empty seats. Tris and the ex-Amity managed to find an empty table towards the side of the room, giving a perfect view over the entire area. Tris sat on the corner seat and the boy sat across from her.

"I'm Colm, by the way," Colm muttered over the white noise in the room.

"Skylar," Tris reached over and shook his hand. It was the appropriate social action in this instance after all. The two of them stared at the foreign food in front of them in apprehension.

"It's a burger," explains Four, sitting down in the empty seat beside Tris. "Here put this on it," he hands a bowl of sauce to each of them in turn.

"Wait, you've never had a hamburger before?" Asks a Candor from further down the table.

"No," answered Colm. "Amity doesn't allow us to eat animal meat. We are all vegetarians."

"And Stiffs eat plain food," Four finished.

"What? Why?" Lauren asks as she sits down next to Colm. He looks up at her and blushes when she catches him looking. Tris could understand why Colm would like Lauren. She was drop dead gorgeous.

"Extravagances. Abnegation feels that food such as this are unnecessary indulgences that would tease us away from our duties," Tris explained before taking a big bite from the burger. She had never come to the dining hall in fear someone would recognise her, so this was truly her first taste of luxury. It was heaven.

"You look like you are about ready to marry that burger," joked Colm with a large smile.

Tris looked up from the current love of her life. "Make it legal and I will," she said seriously.

Four broke out into sad laughter, "nothing's changed," he whispered to himself so quietly not even Tris heard it.

Tris glanced at Four in confusion when his eyes locked on hers. His expressive navy depths countered her impenetrable slate eyes. He seemed to soak up every detail of her and Tris found herself doing the same. He was so familiar, like a word that sat on the tip of your tongue for weeks.

Neither noticed as the hall fell hushed.

"Well Four, aren't you going to introduce me?" Interrupts a stern looking man. They both jump in surprise. Their heads accidentally nocking together. Neither was sure when they had started leaning in closer to see more detail and they weren't sure they wanted to know the answer.

"Eric," Four greets coldly. "This is Skylar and Colm," he motions with his hand toward the two initiates.

"Ooh, a Stiff," grins Eric, looking up and down Tris' body like a slab of prized meat. "Haven't had one of you in about, say, two years." He leans in closer getting a good look at her face.

"They say Abnegation transfers make the best sacrificing soldiers," he ponders, noting the dead look in her eyes. The piercings in his lip wobble slightly with each word. "Let's see how long you last sweetie."

"That's enough Eric," Four hisses. "You'll have plenty of time to psych them out later.

Eric doesn't respond to Fours statement but moves away nonetheless. "Max has asked me to find you. Apparent he keeps arranging to meet you, but you never seem to show up," Eric finally comments casually. "Why is that Four?"

"You can tell Max I'm content with my current position."

"Ah, so it is about a job," Eric hums, barely hidden rage sit just below the surface.

"There no need to worry. I'm not interested."

"Let's hope it stays that way," he chuckles with no mirth, slapping Four on the shoulder just a little to hard.

"I'll see you later Four, Skylar," his eyes linger on his last recipient. He never even acknowledged Colm.

Not that Colm cared in the slightest, the man reminded him of an avenging demon.

Tris continues eating her burger without another word.

"I don't like him," Colm finally declares.

"Here, here," agrees Lauren, holding up a cup and taking a large swig. "Eric always has been and always will be a bastard."

Lauren eyes Tris and Four with a calculating look. "By the way, you two might want to lay low on the whole 'staring into each other eyes lovingly' thing. People might get the wrong idea," she smirks.

Tris only pauses for a second in her eating, but it's enough for the other three people in the vicinity to notice.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," denies Four, not even glancing in Tris' direction. His muscles tense slightly defense.

'_So familiar,'_ Tris thinks, sending a quick look Fours way. His navy eyes flash for a second. '_Wait, Tobias?!'_

"Yeah, yeah. I believe you." The sarcasm was heavily evident in her tone. "I'm not sure how you two know each other, but the way you are keeping this up, you both have a death wish."

**~.~.~**

**AN: hope you guys like the chapter. Leave a review and let me know your thoughts. I love getting feedback!**

**Exams start this coming Friday and I'm freaking out. Stressing out to the point I sat there for a good three hours yesterday coming up with a plan on how to escape my fathers wrath when he finds out I failed math... Oh well. Life goes on. **

**Not quite sure why I saved 'Colm.' My fingers just wrote what they wanted, but I'm quite happy with the outcome. **

**I probably won't update until two weeks time (when exams finish). Then after that I have a week long hiking trip, so I'm not sure how often you will hear from me.**

**~ Mercy**

**P.s. OH, also I hope you guys don't mind me naming 'Tris' Skylar. She won't be addressed by this name to much as it is, so I didn't think of it as too much of a problem. I wanted her to have this name as kind of an expression of her freedom, like when she was younger and would escape to Dauntless. Tobias will refer to her as Tris in private anyway. **


	6. Chapter 6: Dauntless inbreeding? Ew

**For those of you who are angry with my decisions, I'm not changing them, but I respect how calm you have all acted and thank you. I'm perfectly fine with criticism so long as it's not purposely offensive. After all you are never going to have everyone agree with you :) Thanks to everyone for the reviews and PMs with suggestions. **

**The reason this chapter is so early (or early by my standards.) is because my muse(which has usually fled for the hills) decided to nag me for hours on end. Now normally I wouldn't mind, but when you are studying for exams it can be slightly (VERY) distracting... Or maybe I'm just procrastinating, who really knows. **

**It's a tinsy bit shorter than usual, but considering I wrote it in a day I'm pretty impressed... I know, weird right? **

**Also, we reached past the 50 reviews mark! Hehe. Five chapters, fifty reviews and over five thousand views! :D**

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 6 (Dauntless inbreeding? Ew.) **

Tobias, being his usual mysterious self, managed to sneak away after dinner before Tris could confront him. What she would confront him about she wasn't sure. After all, he had technically done nothing wrong. In fact she had pushed him away. _'Maybe it's for the best if he doesn't know it's me...' _

Tris followed Eric silently along the corridor, along with the rest of the initiates. As soon as dinner had ended, Eric had herded them off like cattle. Judging by his leering grin, it didn't look like it was going to be a fun night.

Tris naturally glides over the uneven ground, while the rest stumble along. Colm silently wonders how she can navigate such rocky terrane in the dark and then remembers it's Skylar he is thinking about. He's only known her about two hours and already understands that nothing is simple with her.

Eric abruptly jolts his footsteps as he rounds a corner and stands in front of a large wooden door. It seemed so out of place where it hid in the obsidian walls.

"For those of you who aren't yet familiar, my name is Eric," he puffs his chest arrogantly. "I am one of the five leaders of Dauntless," Eric scowls when no one seems to impressed by his words. "We take initiation here very seriously and everyone has the pleasure of my presence as I over see your training."

Eric begins to lay down the ground rules and Tris can't help but faze out. His rough voice continues at a pompous tone. She doesn't need to ask to know he was an Erudite initiate. Tris honestly didn't like the prejudice she held towards Erudite. But if there was ever a poster boy for an Erudite ego, this man filled the place better than Caleb did. That said something.

"-ten beds for the ten of you," Eric's voice continues. "I'm honestly surprised so many of you made it," he says. "But then again, some of you needed a bit of a push from what I've heard."

Colm stiffens next to Tris quite suddenly. He knew he was treading on thin ice and he wasn't sure if he had to will power to survive the icy depths.

"No matter," Eric shrugs. "We will soon cull the weak from the strong."

"Cull? What do you mean cull?" Interrupts Peter suddenly.

"Why, only the top ten initiates are made members. Weren't you told?" He asks with fake concern.

Everyone turns completely still. The only movement was the rise and fall of their increasingly beating chests. "What?!" Exclaims a former Candor girl in outrage. A boy in blue next to her nudges her in the side whispering, "Christina, no."

"There are eleven Dauntless-born and nine of you," continues Eric unaffectedly. "Four will be cut at the end of stage one, and the rest on the final stage. Also your ranking will determine what potential jobs you may have after initiation."

"The inbreeding must be astronomical," murmured Tris quietly to herself, coming to a concerning conclusion.

Eric turned a sharp eye to her. "What was that girl? Well, come on then. Speak up!" He snapped.

"I was just saying how inbreeding must be a problem with Dauntless," answered Tris, following orders. "If only ten people make it through initiation, then that heavily limits breeding partner options. That's not including the few Dauntless that will no doubt die a couple of years after initiation due to Dauntless nature. So that only leaves about seven or eight Dauntless for each year group after around two or three years," Tris was in full lecture mode now. Eric seemed both annoyed and intrigued. The idea had never popped up before.

"Also, since Dauntless born initiates have much more experience than their transfer counter parts, they are much more likely to survive through invitation. That means the gene pool will just be recycled with little to no extras added. Not to mention that the faction populations combined only adds up to no more than three thousand, that would already put a strain as it is."

"Additionally, outer-faction relations are strictly prohibited, further diminishing possible suitors. Also, as a rule it is a proven fact that men are biologically stronger than women. This means less women than men are likely to make it through initiation. Looking around there seems to be about a ratio of one woman to every four men. Basically, we will be lucky if two women make it through this initiation."

"That's not strictly true," admonished Eric. "The second stage doesn't rely on physical strength whatsoever."

This sent a ripple of confusion through the watching group. If it wasn't about strength, then what was the second stage?

"No, but woman generally as a rule, with a few exceptions, are hormonal and emotional. Not that many women would be able to stand up to the mental strain of stage two."

Eric raised a heavily pierced eyebrow. "And how is it you know about stage two?"

Tris shrugged nonchalantly. "The Erudite archives. They monitor everything and it's open to the general public. Only the high class information is kept restricted. Besides they have practically forgotten about it. Curiosity has all but died in the faction system, so no ones bother to lock up the information."

"The initiation stages are supposed to be classified!" He fumed.

"Not really," Tris explained. "It's a relatively new practice to keep the initiate training a secret. After all, it would give the faction-born initiates an unfair advantage. I'm sure you can ask anyone in this group and they would know exactly how initiation works in their old faction."

Looking around, almost everyone was nodding their head subconsciously.

"In fact the practice only started due to laziness. People would often go to the archives and research what would be expected of them, but people grew slack and the idea that 'if you are too lazy to even search about your chosen faction, you don't deserve to be here' took over. It was another way they culled the lazy initiates from rest, but now it's just become the social norm, and the researching side of initiation was lost in the generations."

"And how is it you know all this?" Questioned Eric, genuinely curious. While he was still considered young, he liked to think he was cultured and had at least a basic grasp on such ideas. He used to be an Erudite after all.

"I told you, the archives. Father instructed me to learn such knowledge, so that he could use it to his advantage," the words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Eric paused, a thoughtful look on his usually stern face. "Your father, huh? Sneaky bastard," the last part was muttered to himself.

"Back to the matter at hand," said Tris, trying desperately to throw Eric back off her trail. "The way everything is headed, we probably won't even have a population in two hundred years. Currently more people die, than are born, meaning our population is actually decreasing. Then again, no one has ever bothered monitoring the factionless population which appears to be growing at an alarming rate. Especially if you discard almost as many initiates as you keep. For all we know they could be building an under ground army, ready to take over at any sign of weakness." Tris had meant for it to come out as a joke, but her stoney face didn't exactly display her meaning.

The group let out large gasps in realisation as they came to the same conclusion.

Eric mean while just stood with a contemplative look. "You are extremely curious for a Stiff."

Tris scowled before her face smoothed over to haughty indifference. "There's a reason I didn't qualify for Abnegation."

"Yes," he murmured. "You would have made a great Erudite."

"I disagree," Tris challanged.

"You would," he finished. Turning around he led the group into the quarters without another word.

**~.~.~**

The sound of hiccuping sobs was the only thing that broke the silence of the supposedly sleeping room. Not even the steady breaths of some of the larger males in the room was heard over the crying boy. The Candor above her had been periodically crying on and off for the last four hours and Tris was sure that she wasn't getting any sleep tonight.

She had trained her body from a young age to be a light sleeper, but now it seemed to be working against her. Tris probably would have felt disgusted in the boys crying, if anyone was going to cry she expected it to be Colm, not this giant of a man, but instead she was just annoyed. He had to share this room with nine other people, if he was going to cry he could at least be considerate and do it out in the hall where nobody would hear. There was no need to hinder everybody else's chances with sleep deprivation.

If Tris was Abnegation she would get up and help the ex-Candor sort out his problems, but she wasn't. Then again, she wasn't technically Dauntless, Erudite, Candor or Amity either. She sighed as she realised the only way to get some sleep was to help him so Tris quietly stood up.

Just as she was about to touch his shoulder, the overwhelming scent of sage and lemongrass assaulted her senses. _'Him..._' Tris' mind flashed back to that day. The boy of sage and lemongrass who had fled like a coward.

Tris snarled under her breath and abruptly lay back down in her mattress. No, she would not help him. Even if she didn't sleep for the rest of the week. The boy calmed down after ten minutes, only to then start back up even louder.

"That's it," Tris snapped quietly, but not quietly enough that she wasn't heard. The springs in the mattress creaked as she push up with her legs, and kicked the underside of the crying boys' mattress. The force of the blow sent him slightly into the air before he fell back down with a whimper.

"Seriously dude! Pull yourself together," she hissed through the dark.

The boy gave one last shudder before falling silent. All around the room, people sympathised with the boy, but at the same time they were grateful. No one had managed to fall asleep through his ruckus.

All was quiet for the next two blissful hours, until finally another strangled sob bursts forth around a muffling pillow. A collective groan rumbles through the room, not that the recipient notices. "Fuck this," whispers Tris angrily. Pulling herself out of the thin sheets, Tris slipped on her shoes and left the room. If she wasn't going to sleep she may as well do something constructive. The eyes of her fellow initiates follow her as she exited the room, a few considered going with her, but were reluctant to leave the sanctuary of their beds so early in the morning.

Storming down the hall, Tris payed no mind to her echoing footsteps. The Dauntless member quarters were on the other side of the compound so she didn't need to worry about waking up anyone important. The blue lights barely illuminated the skinny path and Tris held out her hand, following the along the wall with feel alone.

Tris eventually found herself in front of a large steel door, which she recognised as the entrance to the training center. It hadn't changed much over the years. The same, worn dummies still lined the side wall, while the weapons room sat directly across from it. The octagon cage still stood tall in center of the room, old and new dried blood staining it red. No doubt countless had left that cage with serious injury. No doubt more than a few hadn't left that cage alive at all.

Walking back over to the dummies she pulled one away from the wall and stood in front of it. It was sad that the training dummy was taller than her, but then again they had to give a realistic representation.

Tris pulled back her arm to give it a good punch when a hand clamped down on her outstretched arm. Her silent attacker had snuck up behind her and placed a gentle but firm hand over her mouth.

"Don't scream and I'll let you go. No need to wake up the entire compound," the deep male voice breathed in her ear. Tris used her other arm to pull her Abnegation jacket closer. It did nothing to stop the shiver that ran up and down her body. She nodded.

The warm hand eased it's self from her face, hesitantly incase she was lying. As soon as she was free Tris spun around, glaring at her attacker.

"What was that for?" She demanded crossing her arms over her chest.

Tobias smirked. "I couldn't figure out a way to alert you to my presence, without you alerting _everyone_ to my presence."

"Are you saying I'm jumpy?" She placed her hands on her hips defiantly.

"No," he disagreed, taking a step closer. "I'm saying I'm the only one that's ever been able to sneak up on you," his eyes bored into her.

"I didn't expect you to admit you knew it was me so early," she admitted looking away from his searching eyes. She didn't like the way he seemed to see through her cold exterior.

He shrugged, not deterred at all. "I didn't expect you to actually admit you knew what I was talking about. I expected you to go cold on me again and throw my friendship in my face like last time," he said bitterly.

"So _Skylar_," he mocked. "What's different?"

Tris looked away. It didn't sound right coming from Tobias when he called her Skylar. She was Tris, his Tris.

"I escaped. I don't have to constantly fear for my life. Or at least not from my father," she added as an after thought.

"I would have protected you," he growled.

"Yes, just like that night," she hissed before she could stop herself.

Tobias reeled back as if he had been physical hit. He stared at the ground for a long moment before responding. "You don't understand how much I regret not getting off that bus," he said lowly. "Not walking you home and keeping you safe," he stares off to the side. "We could have left, Tris. You and I. Run away to Dauntless, run away to live factionless. Anywhere was better than that hell hole," he spat.

"We would have been cowards," Tris mumbled, also looking away.

"And what are we now?" He questioned, turning and staring at her intently. "Hidden in the Dauntless using fake names and fake identities."

"We chose to leave for survival!" Tris insists. "If we had stayed we would have died! If that makes me a coward then so be it!" She snaps taking a few steps back. The much needed space finally allows her lungs to get some air.

Tobias takes a deep breath of his own. "And as much as I agree with you, that's not how it will look to everyone else when they find out."

"Why would they find out? Why do you care what they think at all?"

"Please Tris. Practically everyone all ready knows," he said condescendingly. "Did you think over your stony years people stopped talking? Conveniently forgot about your scars?"

"No," she denied heatedly. "I didn't know they bothered you so much. Please excuse me while I remove my hindersome existence from your life. We wouldn't want your reputation as Four to be ruined by damaged goods," she barked. Spinning on her heel and stomping away.

"Tris," he exclaimed. "Don't be like that. You know that's not what I meant," he explained grabbing her by the arm.

"And how am I supposed to know that?" Tris demanded. "We haven't spoken in over three years!" She exclaimed pulling out of his grasp and continuing away.

"And who's fault is that?" He retorted angrily, grabbing her again.

SLAP, the sound rung throughout the room with a resounding echo. Tobias gingerly, placed a hand to his stinging cheek. The red print was bright enough that it could be seen in the relative darkness. "Stop grabbing me like I'm a possession. You off all people should know about that," she hissed venomously. Without another word she exited the room, leaving Tobias standing alone wondering how their conversation had gone so far down hill.

**~.~.~**

"The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun," yells Tobias grumpily as he walks down the line of initiates, placing a hand gun in their awaiting hands. They all stand silently at attention. Everyone wisely decides not to comment on the purple, hand shaped bruise that lay upon their instructors cheek.

"The second thing is how to win a fight, but that is saved for later in the afternoon." He passes a gun to Tris without so much as a glance. "There are three stages to Dauntless initiation. The Physical, the Emotional and the Mental stage. Make no mistake, just because you do well in one stage does not mean you will do well in the others and vice versa," he says all this while causally loading a gun.

"Each stages is scored differently. You also need to remember that the Dauntless born will be joining you on stage two. This may seem daunting-"

Tris had to roll her eyes at his terrible, not at all subtle pun. _'Seriously Tobias? Really?' _

"-but stage two is where the playing ground evens out. No amount of experience can prepare you for such a task," he group seemed to take a collective gulp.

"Each stage is specially designed to eradicate cowardice. Not remove fear, that is impossible, but to give you the ability to act despite your fears."

"And how," started Peters drawling voice. "Is firing a gun supposed to eliminate cowardice?"

"Idiot," states Tobias seriously. "You will never go anywhere if you can't learn to keep your Candor mouth shut!" He snaps. The normally calm and composed Four was not having a good day.

Clicking the bullet into place, Tobias raises his gun, resting the barrel against the front of Peter head. He makes a bang motion with gun, shocking a whimper out of the boy. "You are far less likely to go crying home to your mother if you can adequately defend yourself. I'm not sure what you thought we did in Dauntless, but the majority of the time we are soldiers. And. Soldiers. Use. Guns," he sneered. Peter was still shaking in his boots when Tobias took a step back.

"Anymore stupid questions? No? Good," he made a motion with his hand for the group to follow him. No one objected. An angry Four was a scary Four.

Four demonstrates how to use and reload the gun before stepping to the side._ 'One demonstration and that's it? I know they are throwing us in the deep end, but seriously.' _

Tris stepped up towards the line, aiming her gun down the sight towards the target. She was nervous about the gun when it occurred to her,_ 'what the hell am I nervous for?' _ Tris stared down at the now unintimidating object in her hands. '_My old throwing knives are scarier than these. I don't have to deal with wind resistance or gravity. Well, at least not at this range. And it even comes with a nifty little sight meaning I don't even really have to aim. I just line it up and-'_ BANG, the bullet shot off straight into the center of the target.

The boy next to her, Will, stared in shock. "Ho- how, how did you do that?"

Tris looked over at him in confusion. "What's so difficult about it? It requires no strength, you don't have to take any variables into account and it even has a sign on it telling you where to shoot. It doesn't take an Erudite to hit the target," Tris then remember that the boy used to be from Erudite. "No offense I mean," she added as social order dictated.

He laughed, "none taken." Will aimed down his sight with a much steady grip and let out a whoop of joy when it hit the target. Not the center, but much better. "When you put it like that, it makes so much more sense."

Tris sent him a small smile in response. Colm, who had been listening in on the other side of Tris also took her words into account. With his new confidence with the gun, he found shooting the targets to almost be too simple. Then again, they were only fifteen meters away from the target.

Tris eventually started purposely aiming wrong about half a round into the session. She might be stone hearted, but her eyes could pick up the glares directed her way clear as day. Tris couldn't help the smirk that flitted across her face as she miss the target every time, exactly where she intended.

**~.~.~**

**Please read me! **

**AN: I'm not sure where the giant debate at the beginning of the chapter came from. It was just multiple plot bunnies that had my mind churning for a long while. Please let me know if you see any major holes in my argument. I'm really intrigued about it now and no one seems to have really addressed such an issue yet. If someone has made such a fic, I apologise for not acknowledging your idea. If I'm perfectly frank, I have only read about three divergent fanfictions, just because I struggle to find ones that aren't just mush and or smut between Tobias and Tris. It has it's place and I'm sure their are lots of good ones, but I was unlucky to get some really mushy ones when I first searched and they put me off for good. **

**I'm not sure about the population in divergent. Veronica never specified, so I'm going off of the '10 initiates for each year' idea for Dauntless and possible Erudite. I also kept in mind that places like Abnegation and Amity almost never turned anyone away, so they would have a much larger population. I also used a generalization from watching the movie and guessing the population from the times when we saw the factions mingling in the streets etc. **

**I think I was very generous with the population size and if I was honest I would have said the population was more around 1-2 thousand, but for the stories sake I kept it around 3 thousand. Keep in mind the population of the factionless is not taken into account. **

**It wasn't until I finished writing the chapter that I realised I almost made Eric seem, dare I say it, human. I'm not sure how I feel about such a change. Let me know if you think I should keep him this way and kind of subtly influence him to the good side, or make him stay a bastard? I'm actually so conflicted on the subject. **

**Also, should this be a war fic? Or not? I'm leaning towards yes, but there is a lot more I could do If I didn't have to worry about the colony outside the fence etc. maybe it could turn it into a zombie apocalypse fic, and have the end of the world outside the walls... lol, jk... Maybe. **

**Tris and Tobias will have their ups and downs. They are both angry and hurt because of the circumstances. Besides there wouldn't be a story if they just made up and fell into bed together. You know what I mean? **

**And no I'm not sympathetic to Al, sorry to anyone that likes him. He just annoys the shit out of me. **

**Phew, that was a monster AN**

**~ Mercy**


	7. Chapter 7: Hypocritical Contradictions

**AN: I'm really sorry for the long wait everyone. Things haven't been great. **

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing in relation to Divergent or Veronica Roth's characters. The only thing I do own is a copy of her trilogy and an unhealthy imagination. _**

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 7 (Hypocritical Contradictions) **

Colm couldn't help but whine as the initiates all headed to lunch. His arms ached from holding the gun up for a solid three hours and he knew they still had fight training to go. Colm didn't even notice the other initiates at the table as he sat down in his usual spot with a loud, "thank god!"

Tris smiled, "Tired?"

"You have no idea," he groaned. "Why is that?" He questioned with a pensive look.

"What do you mean?" Asked Tris picking up the new love of her life. Cake.

"I mean how well you seem to be adjusting. If I didn't know better I would have thought you were Dauntless-born," he paused. "Of course that's crazy though. You are from Abnegation," he remembered. "Strange."

Tobias sat down next to the silent Tris. She didn't know how to explain and she was afraid of furthering his suspicions and so she said nothing.

Christina and the previously crying Ex-Candor sat down on the other side of Tobias. "So Four, how'd you get that nasty bruise?" Christina asked, pointing rudely to the hand shaped print on his face. Will, on the other side gave the girl a large quick and she let out a large gasp of breath in pain. She glared at the boy, but softened at his innocent expression.

Four said nothing. He just turned, facing Christina and glared straight into her eyes. She took a gulp before turning back very interestedly to her lunch. Will rolled his eyes at her bluntness, if she kept this up she was going to be killed.

Tris zoned out from the proximity to Tobias. She could see by the way his body was tensed that he was still angry, but so was she. She honestly had no idea how to breach the wall that seemed to have build between them. She both regretted and was pleased with their argument. Yes, they were angry at each other, but that anger they held had to be released at some point. It was best to get it out of the way.

"Skylar," demanded Christina down the table, bringing Tris out of her thoughts. "I asked if you remembered me from math class," she stated. "I mean, I remember you because you always sat in the back row at the corner desk. Kinda like now," she added, looking over at Tris who was sitting in the corner seat at the back of the room. "I mean, I remember you. You always had longer hair than the rest of the Abnegation and then there was that giant scandal around you and your friend a few years ago," she said carelessly. '_How thick is this girl? You don't just go blurting stuff out like this, even if you are Candor!' _

Tris couldn't help but let her eyes flicker over to Tobias, before averting them once more. Only Colm and Lauren caught the movement, but said nothing.

"I don't remember you," replied Tris honestly. She only just held herself back from giving the girl a tongue lashing.

Christina shrugged. "It's not that surprising with you. I mean, you were practically a robot half your life, but you're here now!" She grinned broadly. The smile disappeared from her face as Tris stood up and stormed away.

"What did I say?" The question drifted after Tris, just spurring her on faster.

"Damn, you are insensitive," spoke Tobias for the first time since arriving at the table. "Do you even know the meaning of tact?" Standing up, he left without another word, following through the doors Tris exited.

**_~.~.~_**

Tris punched the bag with renewed force as she imagined Christina's face. _'What right does she have to say those things? It's not any of her business!' _Tris thought to herself.

_'Its true though. Did you really think no one would notice or remember?' _Another voice seemed to argue back.

'_Of course not!' _Tris snapped in her mind. The bag swung precariously through the air once more. _'But she has no reason to bring it up.' _

_'She's a Candor at heart," _the voice explained simply_. 'Lord knows why she choose Dauntless.'_

Tris paused, her closed fist hovering in front of the beaten bag. _'You know most people would be considered crazy to be talking to themselves.' _

_'First off, you're not talking. And second, you are considered crazy as it is, there's no 'would be' about it.' _

Tris thought for a moment, shrugged, _'fair enough_,' and continued to beat the shit out of Christina's face.

She did not pause as she felt a presence hover around the doorway. "What are you doing here, Four?" She called out confidently.

"Well," he drawled. "Considering this the training room and I'm the trainer, I have every right to be here. You, on the other hand, are still an initiate and do not have access to this area." Tobias stepped out of the door way and casually lent on a wall, studying Tris. "I seem to always catch you in here," he muttered as an after thought.

"I wasn't aware the definition of always was 'twice' now, but I'll take your word for it," she replied testily.

Tris watched the lazy smirk that twitched on the corners of his mouth. "I think I know you pretty well. I have no doubt I'll be meeting you here again in the future when you need to relieve some stress."

"Do you though?" Asked Tris regarding his first statement. "I don't even know myself, let alone you," she muttered angrily. She hadn't meant to say it, but it was open on the air now.

A deep sigh released itself from Tobias' lips. "That's because you won't open up. You hide from the things that hurt you."

"Hypocrite," she immediately snarled.

He tilted his head slightly in agreement. "While I might not follow my own advice, it's still useful nonetheless." Tobias tore his eyes away from Tris, staring up at the darkness of the ceiling. "What happened Tris? What happened that day?" He asked suddenly.

Tris said nothing. Only the sound of her flesh hitting leather permeated the empty room. "I died," she answered abruptly.

The words seemed to hang around them like a shroud, anointing them. Tris had stilled her movements and was staring down at her bruised knuckles with an unreadable expression.

Tobias watched her with half lidded eyes, his eyelashes concealing the storm that raged behind them. "And how is it that you are here today?" He asked around the lump in his throat.

She turned to stare into his eyes. Her own stone eyes seemed unflinching against his churning emotions. "You misinterpret me," she stated calmly. "I didn't die in my body, but I died in my soul."

Tobias felt as is he were the one being stabbed that day. Her words pierced him to a level he didn't know he possessed.

Tris continued on, undeterred by his silence. "My physical body remained, but something in me snapped and something was released. I'm both emotionless and passionate. A contradiction. What am I Tobias?" She asked desperately, her calm being shattered with her last question.

"Human Tris," he murmured taking a step forward and brushing his hand against her cheek. "You are human, everyone breaks eventually. We just have to pick up the pieces."

She shook her head in his hand. "Not me, I don't break, I can't afford to break or be broken."

"Tris," he whispered to himself like a prayer. He pulled her close to his body, wrapping his arms around her lithe frame. He noticed the way her body stiffened against him, but he never let go.

Tris could feel the warmth of Tobias' body as it seeped through her clothing into the her pores. For the first time she felt the cool of the night and she shivered, burrowing into the hot, human water bottle.

"Tris," he whispered again into her hair. "You're so Dauntless and yet not at the same time..." He trailed off. Both unconsciously looked over each others shoulder to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "Tris, what did you get on your aptitude test?"

"Dauntless of course," she answered with no hesitation. She was used to lying.

"Of course," he muttered, disbelief evident in his voice. "Tris, you trusted me once, you can trust me again."

Tris allowed silence to rein for a few moments before answering, "Tris never stopped trusting you. You never did anything to break her trust, but Tris is dead. She died that day with her father and you need to accept that." She pulled away abruptly, her hair shielding her anguished face.

"You know I can't believe that," He replied, his arms dropping limply to his sides. His eyes remained focused on hers. Tobias could almost believe he saw emotion churning behind her smooth, granite orbs. He honestly didn't know what else to say. She had changed. It was impossible to stop change, but deep down, hidden behind her fractured facadè, was the Tris he once knew.

"You can believe whatever you like, it's your choice."

"It's your choice too!" Tobias demanded making Tris look back up at him sharply. "Your father's gone. My father's gone. So, what's the problem?" He looked around as if searching for an answer. To his chagrin none popped up in the relatively empty room.

"Gone?" Tris let out a sharp bark of laughter that sounded distressed more than humorous. "They are never going to be gone," she spat. "Our fathers are faction leaders. Every ceremony, they will be there. Every inspection, they will be there. Hell, they don't even need a _fucking_ reason. One word from their mouths and they. Are. There." Tris felt the urge to stop her foot in pure frustration, and only barely squashed the movement.

"I think you're exaggerating their power just a tad," Tobias scoffed.

Tris sneered in return. "And I think you are underestimating their power. Abnegation rules the factions."

"For now," Tobias huffed under his breath.

Tris raised an enquiring brow, but Tobias didn't reply. If Tris was going to hide information from him, he would simply return the curtesy.

"Whatever," said Tris with a sense of finality. "I'm outta here."

With that she stormed away, leaving Tobias alone once again.

**~.~.~**

No ten minutes later Tris stood watching Tobias as he demonstrated the moves the initiates would need to memorise. She was annoyed, hungry and missed out on cake. All in all, her day had turned out like shit. No change there then.

The chalk board hung ominously on the far wall, proclaiming the names of all the initiates. The spaces beside the names currently remained empty, but only furthered everyone's stress levels knowing they only had a short amount of time to change their positions.

"So I recommend you pay attention," instruct Tobias with a pointed glance at a couple of day dreamers including Tris. "The fast learners are the ones that will succeed," his voice trails off for a second before he snaps back to reality.

Tris can't help but begrudgingly admit Tobias is an amazing instructor. He obviously had a through knowledge of his subject and held the fine line between strict and easy going. The basic punching techniques being taught were nothing new, but she was enraptured by Tobias. She was like a lost wanderer in the desert and he was the first signs of water in weeks. Her eyes thirstily drank up his teachings, allowing his deep voice to wash over her.

Tris' knuckles ached by the end of the punching section and she knew she shins weren't going to be much better. She knew her kicks were her weakness and she was determined to have mastered it by the end of the lesson. To any other initiate it would have been an un achievable goal, but Tris' body still remembered how to move and stand even if she had forgotten.

Tobias wanders among the crowd, testing and correcting the initiates as he goes. A slight twitch at the corner of her lips is all that is given away by Tris as Tobias chastises Peter on his technique and stance. Peter scowls, but follows his advice nonetheless.

Colm who had been silently training beside Tris let our a groan of pain as his bruised flesh struck the unyielding leather once more.

"Colm," Tris hissed out the corner of her mouth. "Stop tucking your thumb in, you'll break it."

"But it feels awkward otherwise, Sky," he whined.

Tris watched as his bottom lip pouted out adorably... Not that she would ever admit to thinking such a thing. "Well, it will feel even more awkward when you break your thumb trying to throw a punch, now change your grip," she admonished.

Colm looked over at Tris with wide eyes, slightly watering at the edges. How brown, doe eyes seemed to quiver in their sockets.

Tris panicked. She didn't know what to do. The only person she had ever consoled was Tobias, but that was... before. She hadn't thought she was being too hard on Colm, she was just worried for him and now...

A sharp burst of laughter broke her panic induced haze. All the desperation and helplessness had fled from his eyes only to be replaced with barely concealed amusement.

"Oh Sky, you're hilarious. You looked like you were about to have a panic attack when I started 'crying'," he threw her a lop sided grin, while changing his hand position.

Tris' own eyes widened before glaring at the red headed boy. "You were acting, you sneaky, little bugger!" She accused. Not allowing time for him to respond, she slapped him up the backside of the head.

"Damn woman! That hurt," he complained, messing up his hair as he rubbed the offending area. "Now I'm definitely sure that you're the one that slapped Four," he joked.

The smile slipped from his face when Tris didn't reply. "Sky-" he started.

"Hey!" Called out Four from down the line. "You two, this is not social time. Get to work!"

The authoritative tone struck something in Tris and she responded with, "yes Sir!" Going full throttle at the bag once more. Her energy was already spent and her legs were weak with exhaustion, but she felt none of it. Her instincts were screaming at her that if she didn't do what she was told, she would be hurt.

The bag swung precariously throughout the rest of the session. The usual banter that would fill the room had dispersed abruptly, leaving an empty feeling. Not that that mattered to the trainers. So long as everyone was behaving and learning as they should, there was no reason for them to interrupt or attempt to break the tension.

"Sky... Sky!" A voice shocked Tris out of her trance. Looking around she noticed that almost all the students had left and only Colm was left standing in front of her. "It's time to go to dinner. Training's over," Colm let out a nervous laugh. "Wow, you really worked yourself out to the edge," his eyes swept over her equipment. "Your punching bag's literally splitting at the seams."

With the knowledge that Tris had for filled her duties, all her previous energy fled and her legs began to collapse beneath her.

"Woah, Sky!" Exclaimed Colm, dropping down to his knees as he caught her limp body. "Um, Sky?"

Tris barely managed to force her head up to see his strained face. "Mmm? In a minute," she murmured sleepily in his arms.

"Uh," started Colm. "Not that I mind you sleeping on me or anything, but," his stomach suddenly rumbled, interrupting the peace.

"As my stomach so adeptly put it. I'm hungry and I'm sure you are too. You can sleep straight after," he promised. Colm struggled up only then to be pulled back down by her weight.

"Nooooo," Tris whined pitifully. "Stay, no moving," she curled up against his half sitting, half kneeling position.

"I didn't want to have to do this," Colm whispered to her, "but it's the only way you ever seem to respond..." He trailed off.

Tris continued to nap quite happily in his lap.

"Initiate Skylar!" Colm demanded in voice that no one would ever believe he possessed. "You were to report at dinner at 0800 hours! It is currently 0805, what do you plan to do about this?"

Tris' body shot up like a rocket. A strange part of her mind took over and her body moved of its own accord. For a second she was almost grateful for her bodies natural response. She knew there was no other way she would have gotten up until her energy had been refilled, otherwise.

"Yes Sir!" She said firmly, but drowsily. Standing up straight she rushed from the room, leaving Colm worried about how she responded without a thought.

**~.~.~**

"Well, I want to get a tattoo. If we are going to be Dauntless, we may as well look the part," proclaimed Al from the middle of the table.

Tris personally thought it to be a stupid reason. You didn't stain your skin for others and to act the part. Tattoos were permanent, forever. At least with the current technology as it is. To mark your body in such a way should not be a spur of the moment decision. It should be thought out, purposeful. _But then again_, she thought to herself_, I have a tattoo on my chest I don't even remember getting applied._

"It's stupid if you think a tattoo with give you the courage to fit in with the Dauntless," Tris spoke up suddenly. Taking a sip from her cup, she took a moment to think. "Besides, if you're going to cry yourself to sleep each night, there is no doubt you'll pull out before getting the tattoo. Save yourself the embarrassment and just dye your hair or get a small piercing instead."

Al looked down at the table, ashamed, while Christina stood up beside him, "and what about you, Loose Stiff? You're the one covered in mindless tattoos, how are they purposeful? And bunch of random geometric lines and designs," she huffed, her fringe flying up for a second before falling back to its usual position.

Tris let out a sharp bark of laughter, "Oh, they are purposeful alright." _Just not from my own intentions, _she finished in her mind.

Colm looked over at Tris, "What are they talking about Sky?"

Tris raised an eyebrow as Christina sneered from down the table, "you haven't heard? No wonder you're hanging out with _her. _The rebel Stiff that hides silver tattoos all over her body. It's pitiful the way you betrayed your father."

"Betrayed?" Tris asked. "I merely followed Faction practice. I received a Dauntless aptitude, therefore I switched, same as you. I would think my father would be proud of me for following the unspoken guidelines," She lied.

"Why do you hide them anyway?" Interrupted Peter from another table, clearly overhearing the heated argument. "I mean, you're in Dauntless now. There's no need to hide them," he shot her a deep smirk.

_He knows,_ Tris though, _or at least he suspects_.

"And there's no need to show them," Tris sneered in return. "Tattoos are personal, and I have no intent on ever getting to know you on such a level."

"Well your friend Colm didn't even know about them," pointed out Christina.

Tris let out a noise of frustration. "Do none of you realise we have barely been here twenty four hours and you are already prying into people's private lies? Go back to Candor if you want answers to such blunt questions!"

"Guys," spoke up Will. "She has a point. We are all still practically strangers..."

"Whatever, let's go," spoke up Christina. Despite her small frame she managed to pull Al out of the room, Will dragging his feet as he slowly ambled behind.

Colm looked over a Tris as the motley crew vanished. "I know we haven't known each other long," he started. "But I feel like I can trust you and I hope you can feel the same. If you ever want to talk... I'm here Sky."

Tris glanced up at Colm with a small, but genuine smile. She found herself doing that a lot lately. "Thanks mate, I'll be sure to remember that in the future."

**~.~.~**

**"**Why are we here?" Complained Tris. Her arms felt like pure lead as she followed Colm aimlessly down the narrow passage. "I thought we agreed this was a stupid idea."

Rolling his eyes, Colm reached back and yanked the tired girl into a room. "No, I'm taking your advice. I'm not game enough to get a tattoo at this point, so I'm going to get a piercing."

Tris watched in shock at his blazon candor and confidence. The idea of the innocent, red headed boy with a pierced face like Eric's made her shudder. Colm must have picked up on her thoughts and he abruptly came to a halt in front of a sign advertising their wares.

He shook his head. "Nothing like Eric of course. I was originally going to get streaks or something in my hair, but the red clashes, so I've decided to go with a simple lip ring," he explained calmly. The slight shake in his hands was the only give away of his apprehension.

His words hung in the air as Tris hesitated to respond. She knew he was concerned about the procedure, but she didn't want to undermine his confidence by pointing that fact out.

"Ok, if that's what you want to do," Tris said slowly. "But, just know that you don't have to prove yourself to be in Dauntless. At least not like this."

With a nod of his head, Colm took a deep breath. "I know." The brave boy then proceed into the piercing room with his head held high.

As the door fell shut, she finally took in her surroundings. The room was the same as she remembered. A burst of colour in the bleakness of Dauntless. Every inch of the wall from floor to ceiling was filled with a myriad of sketches and designs for tattoos and piercings. The uneven, obsidian walls acted as a blank canvas for the artists that inhabited the faction, displaying their multitudes of talent for a price.

A small bird tattoo caught Tris' attention. It was a simple design compared to the sketched that surrounded it. Compared to the tattoo that marred her own body. It was a symbol of freedom, the bird taking flight.

But Tris did not feel that she was free. She was on the road to freedom, no doubt about that, but true freedom? That she had not yet achieved.

In another world she could see herself getting the coloured in tattoo, a marking of each of the loving family members she left behind. They would trail down from her collarbone to her heart, which would be free of ink.

Family, she scoffed inwardly to herself. She had no family. An abusive father? Sure. An egotistical brother? Definitely. A mother? Well, Tris wasn't sure what happened to her. One day she was there, the next she was gone. Without warnings, she left her only daughter to die.

"See something you like?" Asked a voice from the doorway. There Tori stood, tattoo machine in hand.

An older Dauntless man scooted around her with a thanks, clutching his bandaged forearm.

Tris looked back at the sketch. "Actually, yes. Could I get this bird with a small modification?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

**~.~.~**

A small smile slipped onto Tris' face in the silence of the room. Not even Al was crying himself to sleep tonight.

The small bird outline seemed to glow against the skin on her neck, just above her collarbone. It was progress. One day, when she was truly free, she would complete the tattoo.

Her smile broadened as she looked towards the unknown future.

**AN: I just want to give a large thanks to those who have been reviewing and PMing me. I have had quite a few interesting and enlightening conversations.**

**Please leave a review/favourite if you liked the chapter. Even if you didn't, leave a review about why and I'll see what I can do! **

**I'll try not to be so long with the next chapter, but because of some family issues going on atm, updates may be slow (about every 2 - 3 weeks, give or take a week) **

**~ Mercy**

**P.s just realised we are 200 people off of 10000 views! Wow, I couldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks 3**


	8. Chapter 8: Weaknesses and Strengths

**AN: I'm really sorry for the long wait.**

**The good news is this is my longest chapter yet.**

**That is all. **

**Chapter 8 (Weaknesses and Strengths, Physical and Mental) **

"Since, more of you have survived than expected so far," announced Four, walking back and forwards in front of the brave faced initiates. "you will all be fighting."

Tris smirks as Christian furiously whispers under the breath, "please don't place me with the Tank. Please don't place me with the Tank."

The orders are revealed.

With language that would make a sailor blush, Christian sat down heavily on the floor, almost accepting her fate.

Tris scans the board, noticing she has been placed with Will. With a slight tilt of her head she observes his solid frame.

_'Weaknesses,' _she mentally categories. _'Shaggy hair, good from grabbing and blurring his vision. Light hearted nature means he won't want to apply more force than necessary. Likely to show mercy. His solid frame might be strong, but it will slow him down. Strengths. His brute strength could be enough snap my leg in two if need be. His stance gives the impression he is good on his feet. His eyes show intelligence, won't be able to trick him with silly moves or feints.' _

Tris nodded. To others it looks like she was friendly acknowledging her opponent, but Tris was just confirming to herself that if need be, she could take it down. Will could still win, she knew that. There was a fine line between confidence and arrogance, but she knew she had the experience to overcome his strength.

Meanwhile, Colm was nervously chewing on his newly pierced lip ring. His name was next to Al.

"Colm," Tris whispered to the worrying boy. "Calm down. Yes, you have Al, but look for his weaknesses. Don't confuse size for prowess."

The uneasy aura is still present, but Colm seemed to straighten up, looking at the situation in a different light. He looked down at his clenched fingers, slowly opening them before looking at his opponent who often resembled a boulder.

"What are the rules?" Tris asked, examining the octagon ring.

A deep, grating laugh suddenly echoed in the vaulted room. "There are no rules Stiff, not in the ring," answered Eric coming to stand next to a distinctly uncomfortable Tobias. The two men had a hushed conversation, which ended with a large grin on Eric's face and a scowl on Tobias'.

"Why of course I wanted to come see out darling initiate for their first fights," answered Eric in a sugary sweet tone. "After all, it when the divide between the survivors and the weak becomes apparent." His gaze swept over the mostly intimidated crowd, coming to rest on a bored Tris.

His scare tactics really did wither in comparison to her fathers. Tris knew that while their instructors could place their lives in danger, they couldn't do it outright without reason. Andrew had no such qualms.

In the arena, Al's shadow seemed to engulf her, dare she say it, friend. Colm's head didn't even reach the other boys shoulders and he seemed almost sorrowful as he started down at his opponent. "I don't want to do this," he stated.

"Well to bad," Answered Eric in a drool voice as he lent on the cage contain the two initiates. "If you make it through training you will will have to take down enemies who may have nice been your friend. You need to be stoic and follow instructions," he gaze once again flicked to Tris. "Now fight!"

The mountain-like man gasped when a small fist hit him straight in the gut. He wasn't ready for the attack and the force of the punch sunk into his already bruised flesh. Colm seemed surprised at his own brazen action, but the shock quickly wore off as he realised this might be his only chance.

Unfortunately for Colm, Al's shock had also dissipated and the large boy stumble towards him, trying to grab him with a meaty fist. The pierced boy only just managed to duck under the offending limb and struck him with a sharp elbow to the side. Al seemed to forget all his previous worries about hurting his opponent as rage took over his body. The humiliation he felt as everyone laughed as he got his ass whopped by one of the smallest initiates acted like a steroid on his body as he suddenly charged. Once again Colm used his small body and speed to evade the attack and he struck out with a well placed kick to the back of the knee.

Tris watched through half lidded eyes at the approval shinning in Tobias' own as Al stumbled.

Eric while not as expressive was obviously impressed by how well he was holding his own. He had expected the match to be a boring one blow knockout, but it was rapidly switching into a well paired fight. Of course this meant Al would lose points for struggling against such an opponent, but this would do wonders for the Amity transfer.

The fight continued on in a similar fashion for many minutes, a sheen of sweat appearing on both of the boys skin. It finally ended, by a well placed blow from Al to Colm's solar plexus. All the bones and muscles seemed to turn to putty instantaneously as he fell to the floor like a rag doll.

Eric stepped over Colm's prone form as he entered the octagon. Tris immediately followed behind, beginning to bend down to help her friend when Eric blocked her.

"Stiff your fight is next. Leave him," he commanded. "Boy," Eric snapped, looking over to the winder of the previous match. Al seemed to shrink under his glare. "Go take your opponent to the hospital wing. Oh, and try not to bump him on your way," he said with a careless wave of his hand, already dismissing him.

Al nodded hastily, crouching down next to the prone body and scooped him up gently. A contradiction to his earlier actions.

"Skylar and Will, next to fight," read out Tobias from the clipboard in his palm.

Eric sent Tris a lecherous grin, stepping forward into her personal bubble. "I expect great things off you Stiff." He patted her cheek. "Don't let me down."

Tris made sure her face revealed nothing as he left. He settled down not four paces from her, the only divider being the thin chain link fence. If she had to describe his face at that moment she would call it _hungry. _Like a tamer that boasts about the prowess of the beast he owns. None of the power his, but ultimately in control.

Will sensed the strange air that surround the interaction and sent his opposition a sympathetic smile. He didn't know what was going on or what it meant, but he knew it wasn't good.

"Begin," Tobias announced once they were both in place. A slight waver in his voice lost on all, but a select few in the room.

Will immediately lunged for the girl, hoping to catch her off guard and end the fight quickly. Despite the faction he was in, all his instincts were screaming at him about the wrongness of fighting a woman and he didn't want to torture himself for longer than necessary.

Tris sprung into action, already predicting the attack and moving out of the way by a hair width. Cooling air pushed through the space between their bodies. A reminder and warning of how close they were.

Dodging his next strike, Tris' mind faded away. A deeper part of herself took over demanding that she not hurt this man who had done nothing to her. She wouldn't hurt him. She wasn't her father.

Will was both frustrated and amused by Tris' lack of attack. No matter how fast he moved she was always just ahead of him, her lithe frame twisting around him, but never touching. If he didn't know better he would say she was teasing him.

'_To the left,__' _ rings through Tris' mind as moves to the left of the oncoming limb. _'__Duck, roll. Now _

_turn. Thats it, jump! Perfect.__'_

"Stiff! Stop being on the defensive!" commanded Eric from the sidelines. "If you don't take him down in the next minute, I will make sure you become faction less by this time tomorrow!"

Tris' hesitated mid stride, earning herself a nasty hit to the jaw. She couldn't afford to be thrown out. That meant almost certain death, but she couldn't hurt this boy who truly wasn't a threat to her.

"I- I," she hesitated, trying to find an excuse.

Eric sighed, glancing up at the ticking clock above the ring. "You have thirty seconds Stiff."

Tris didn't respond or differentiate from her usual avoidance tactic.

"Now initiate Skylar! As your commanding leader you WILL do as I say!"

She moved liquid around Will. For her, time seemed to freeze. For all watching, she appeared as only a blur.

"I'm sorry," said Tris, barely audible in Wills ear.

Coming to stand behind him, she gently wrapped her arms around him. Her right hand pressed on the bend of his left elbow, while her other hand reached up to pinch the right side of his neck.

The combined pressure on the vein in his elbow and neck, cause the boys green eyes to roll into the back of his head and he fell unconscious. Tris, cradling Will, tenderly dropped the floor, placing him down beside her.

A slow clap filled the silence of the room. It was a harsh, sharp sound that could only be made by a man as equally so.

"And that," started Eric standing up and coming to walk to Tris' side. "Is how it's done. Fast and efficiently," he grinned, clapping a hand on Tris' sundering shoulder. "Good job, Stiff," he praised.

'_Like a master to his prized dog,__' _Tris mentally snarled.

"Might want to easy up on the mercy though. You should have just let him drop, although it would be good if we ever needed to bring someone in alive," He pondered before laughing manically again.

Tris stood, moving to pick up Will when Eric held up a hand for her to stop. He commands a bored looking Peter to take him to the infirmary.

"Why? everyone else has had to take their opponent! Ive already done my part!" he demands indignantly.

"She earned her match. She did as she was told and finished him off cleanly and quickly," he explained. "You however felt the need to drag your opponent all over ring on a goose chase. You cant do that in a battle."

Peter grumbled for a while longer before unceremoniously picking Will up off the floor. For just a second of vindictively pleasure he walked the unconscious boys head into the doorway corner, calling out "Whoops" over his shoulder.

Eric sighed to himself. "The boy's a reasonable fighter, but thicker than bricks."

Loathing fills Tris as she holds her self back from laughing. She would not admit that despite his numerous flaw, he could be witty. It was a preposterous notion. Unthinkable.

"Next fight!" yelled Eric, motioning for Tobias to continue.

The fights continued on as a blur for Tris. Her job was done, now all there was to do was wait until she was dismissed to commanded to another task. Colm's health and wellbeing seems to squirm at the back of her mind, niggling away at what Tris could almost perceive to be worry. She knew he was ultimately fine and the healers would fix him right up, but still it was there.

Eric moved out the corner of her vision, crossing his arms over his chest. "There are no submissions in the octagon," he said firmly.

"I- I'm done," coughed Christina, blood dripping out the corner of her mouth. Molly had made a mess out of the poor girl, but Christiana's nature was to stubborn to slip unconscious.

"You're done?" he questioned. Stepping into the ring he hauled Christiana up be her uninjured arm. "Come with me."

The rest of the group follows him out of the room as Christiana desperately tries to stay on her feet while being dragged.

"Climb over," he says finally, coming to a stop at a section of railing near the pit.

"What?" she asked, her voice an interesting slur of disbelief and confusion. "Are you insane?!"

Eric grinned without responding. "I suggest you climb over or you'll be finding yourself on the first train the the factionless."

"You cant do that!" accused Al.

"I can do whatever I like, Boy," Eric sneered. "Now do it or leave."

With a moments hesitation, Christina gingerly swung one leg over the rail followed by another. Her eyes betrayed her fear as she gritted her teeth and lowered herself down over the rail. Her hands slipped for a moment from where they were covered in blood, but she quickly adjusted and literally held on for life.

The time past excruciatingly slow, as if the seconds enjoyed the torture as much as was apparent on Eric's face.

Taking a pear over the edge, Tris noted the trickling stream which lay at the bottom of the 'V' shaped chasm. The glistening surface was only just visible as it sloshed against the edges of its confines. A fall from here would surely end someones life, but it made her wonder if further along it possibly pooled or deepened.

Eric wristwatch gave a small beep as the five minutes came to an end. Tris wondered how often he must do this to the extent that he had it programmed into his watch.

The minutes past relatively fast, at least for Tris. Christian had started moaning about halfway through and her arms alone were shaking enough to almost dislodge themselves.

Eric's watch beeped thrice before he commanded her to get up. She let out a cry of relief, then realising her predicament, let out a cry of despair and frustration. She couldn't pull herself back up.

Al made a motion to go help her but was abruptly cut off by a gruff, "Leave her," from Eric.

She couldn't help it. Tris yawned.

They had been training hard all day and Tris' stochastic sleeping hours had taken their tole. It was almost comical the disbelieving expressions on her classmates faces. An initiate was send away from plunging to her death and all Tris could do was yawn and look on with disinterest.

Eric mumbled something with suspiciously sounded like, "fuck it," before looking over to Tris. "Get her up," he nodded to Christiana unnecessarily. Who else could he have possibly meant?

As Christiana's fingers finally slipped from the ledge Tris dropped down and grabbed her forearm. She screamed, staring down at the daunting drop as Tris grunted from the strain, stabilising herself with her other hand on the rail.

"Christiana," She hissed over the echoing scream. "Shut it and help me pull you up!"

The dangling girl whimpered as she came the her senses and grabbed onto Tris' arm with a vice like grip. The air was violently pushed from Tris' as her stomach pushed against the groaning rail. For a second she entertained the idea that it would collapse under their combined weight, but Christina ungraceful deposited herself over the walkway after another great heave.

She gasped for breath like a fish out of water as she stared up at Tris with unreadable eyes on her usually expressive face.

"Don't mention it," Tris muttered in answer to her unspoken thanks. "Seriously," interrupted Tris as Christina opened her mouth.

"Don't."

**~.~.~**

That night Tris barely slept a wink, and not just because of her insomnia and Al's incessant crying. The image of Christina's desperation was firmly imprinted in her mind, but instead she dreamed of herself there. Her father looked down to her menacingly, a dauntless knife in hand.

Her body shook as the walls around her seemed to grow and the drop below, plunged. His eyes didn't shift colours, he didn't grow horns and a devil tail, but the cold gleam and pleasure that inhabited his expression was so sinister her cool facade cracked.

"Oh, Tris," He said condescendingly. "Little _Divergent__…_" he purrs, the knife slashing down.

Tris bites her tongue so hard it bleeds, just like the stub on her hand which originally held her index finger. The rush of red makes the already smooth surface just that much more difficult to grasp and the lack of blood was starting to make her dizzy.

Suddenly Eric appears over his shoulder, smiling his wicked smile. "Just be happy _Tris. _After all, death is merciful compared to what _will_ happen." With a swift kick, his boot connects with her face finally sending her tumbling down the murky darkness.

Tris wakes up harshly, mouth full of blood, face down on the cold stone floor of the dormitory. Without thought, her hand immediately goes to grab the other. _'__1, 2, 3, 4__… __5,__'_ she counts mentally with a sigh of relief.

None of the other initiates had yet to wake, but a quick glance at the clock told her they would be waking up soon. Untangling the sweat soaked sheets from her legs, she throws them on her bed and grabs a change of clothes.

The cold shower does little to calm her frazzled nerves as she surveys the community shower, half expecting her father to come jumping around the corner, wielding a bloodstained knife. It wouldn't be the first time.

_Robot, _was spray painted in big red letters on her mattress when she returned. It was crudely done and pooled in spots where the initiator has paused for slightly too long. It was obvious who had done it. For one, Peter and his crew were snickering away like they had gotten away with some great crime just three beds over. Not to mention the red can which was poking out below it.

"Robot," Tris tested out the word, no inflection evident in her tone. "Why dance around pretty words and proprieties? Why not just come out and call me an emotionless bitch?" she called over her shoulder, cleaning her area and easily flipping the mattress so the words were no longer present. "For a Candor you could at least try and be a little more… Candid."

Peter growled. "I'm Dauntless, not a Candor."

"Well you're something alright, but Dauntless? No."

The Tank sneered, literally standing up for Peter. "Like you are one to talk. Best to be careful Stiff, the higher you stand the higher you _fall_."

_Her father looked down to her__… __knife in hand__…_

Tris snaps herself out of the daze, and storms out of the room. The lugs that follow her are painful, but if she had stayed much longer she knew she should have caused the others pain.

'_Protect, avoid, survive,__' _The words flowed through her head. _Protect, avoid, survive, _It was her mantra in life. Protect others so none else had to go through what she did. Avoid those who posed as a threat, pick your fights, but don't go looking for trouble. Take what you can and then take some more. Finally, above all _Survive._ The natural instincts that still flowed through Tris screamed at her to survive. _'__You didn__'__t go through all that shit to give up now.__' _She would survive, if only to prove others wrong.

The training room is unsurprisingly quiet. The brutal yesterday had sent more than one initiate to the infirmary, jeopardising their scores further if they are unable to fight today. Tris notes with concern that Colm is not among the waiting initiates.

Tris' name is suddenly drawn to the chalk board and she is not sure how to feel about the result. _'__A test of self control,__' _her mind whispers._ '__No, a chance for revenge__…' _another tempts.

"Well Stiff, Robot or as you like to call yourself, Emotionless Bitch. Looks like its you and me today," Peter smiles with a shit eating grin, coming to stand behind her.

From the edge of the room, Tobias' stance stiffens just the smallest touch. His face becomes harder than the obsidian walls and quickly calls everyone to attention.

The first fight was rather quick as expected. Edward, one of the top fighters, easily took out Molly, taking very little punches. While the aptly named 'Tank' was bigger and stronger, it was Edward's superior speed which ended the fight.

Tris would never admit it, but she smirked like the devil herself every time Molly received a bruise.

As the fight goes on, Tris can't help but feel a smudge of anxiousness at the up and coming fight. She was used to characterising others on their strengths and weaknesses, exploiting them for her own purposes, but Peter didn't appear to have anything aside from his abysmal social skills._ '__He__'__s is tall, but not to the point it slows him. His hair is short, much to slimy to grab. Weapons are not permitted. He is vicious unlike Will, he will not show mercy,__' _She quickly thinks. '_He does not underestimate me. He is confident in his abilities, but understands how easily I took down my opponent yesterday,__' _Tris notes.

Peter leans back on the wall, surveying the fight with an air of superiority. His chin is jutted forward, a sign of assertiveness, but his stance is pure arrogance. _'__Not that you need to look at his body language to see his arrogance. It practically oozes off of him like a pungent odour.__' _

In what seems like the blink of an eye. Tris is in the arena, facing Peter as he approaches.

"You ok Skylar?" He asks with fake concern, circling her like a shark. "You look a bit out of it. I'm not sure if it's my dashing good looks or your frozen _stiff _in fear, but you have nothing to be worried about. I'll look after you," He leers, a second of lust flitting over his expression.

His legs spring and before Tris can comprehend he has tackled her to the floor, straddling her waist. His arms come down to her ribs, holding her down as she struggles beneath him. The sudden grappling caught her off guard and Tris wonders where he learnt it. The only lesson that have had were striking.

"This is more like it. Wouldn't you agree?" He asks, thrusting his pelvis against hers for a second with a lecherous grin.

Tris freezes. '_Did he just?__…'_

"Come on, stop playing with the Stiff," calls Eric from the side lines. "I don't have all day."

Turning her head to the side, Tris watches as Tobias shakes his head and leaves the room without a second glance. _'__He left. He just left__… __again.__'_

"Well," Peter says with a lick of his lips. "Guess we better get this show on the road." He leans down to her ear, his weight just pining her further. "But I'd be happy to finish this conversation again later _Miss. Silver Scars_."

The blood rushes to Tris' ears, drowning out the world and even Peter above her. _'__He knows__… __He knows!__' _She begins to hyperventilate. '_He can__'__t know__… __Protect, avoid, survive. Protect, avoid survive.__' _

'_I can__'__t protect, I can__'__t avoid. I will Survive!__'_

With a sudden burst of strength, Tris thrusts her hips upwards, dismounting Peter as he falls in an ungraceful heap. Before he can get up Tris has already pounced again, jumping onto Peter's back and locking her legs and arms around his body. Placing her left arm around his thick neck, she grabs her right forearm and places the free hand on the back of his head, pushing as his face turns an uncomfortable shade of purple.

He is passing out, Tris can feel as his struggles weaken with lack of circulation and oxygen, but she lets him go. He collapses on all fours, shuddering coughs racking his body. Tris stands up and looks down at him with little remorse before addressing Eric.

"Whoops, looks like I let go too soon," Tris bats her eyelashes completely out of character. I have to keep going until he is completely knocked out. Is that correct?"

Eric raises and enquiring eyebrow, his lips peeling back as his teeth are revealed in a predatory smile. "Why yes. Those are the rules. Feel free to continue," he spreads his arms in a welcoming gesture to the sprawled boy.

"Don't mind if I do," Tris answers her mind blacking out. Later she would only remember bit and pieces of the 'fight'.

As her foot swung back aiming for Peter's unprotected head, only lies haunted her mind. _'__This is different. I am not like my father. He deserves it. This is the right thing to do__…' _

The image of Tris' maniacal expression, plagued Peter's psyche as the foot connected with this skull.

**~.~.~**

**AN: This was late, I know. Sorry.**

**Sorry about all the fighting and little character interaction, but it had to happen. At least its out of the way****…**

**Thanks to all those who pulled me out of my rut with threats and pleading. I do read your reviews and appreciate them, but I****'****m unsure who actually wants me to reply to them :3. Let me know through private message if you have any questions! Thanks for the reviews and ideas, they help me continue on. Also, we reach over 100! .**

**Question Answers**

**I have said this before and I will say this again this is strictly a FourTris story. NOT Tris/Colm or Tris/Eric or Four/Al (Where did you get that idea!? Trust me, some of you come to weird conclusions)**

**No, I will not get rid of Colm. He is important later on.**

**I am unsure at this point whether I will make Tris and Christiana friends. I can****'****t really see it working with this kind of story. I****'****ll think about it, but her personality clashes to much with my version of Tris. **

**Yes, Tris did just go a little insane, but seriously, after all the psychological abuse, can you you blame her?1**

**NO Four and Tris will not just jump into bed anytime soon (if at all). This story is more about the emotional damage and her recovery (With the help of Four). Their relationship at the moment is tentative at best. They are both pissed at each other (For various reasons) and in the timeline it has only really been 3ish days. I plan on making this a full length story eventually, so I****'****m not making them ****"****Make up****" ****instantly. **

**If you want a sappy love story or smut I****'****ve seen plenty of ****"****If Tris becomes a dauntless trainer****" ****or ****"****Tris is unpopular at high school and Four is a cool kid****" ****Stories. Feel free to jump on those at any point in time. **

**Okay, cool? Let me know if you have any other questions. **

**The only real reason I got this done when I did is because I write when I****'****m stressed and procrastinate rather than do what I should. For example, the physical science retest I have next period****… ****Oh well. **

**My exams start in 1 week end in 3. Once those are over I will be free to write as I please, but I will still have about 3 sessions of training a day which take up a big chunk of time. The only reason I really got this done right now is because when**

**Honestly I mostly know what I am going to do with this story, but as my writing skills grow I become disheartened with the story and all the errors and ****'****newbie****' ****mistakes I can see in the writing. This is off putting and I know I can go back and edit it, but****… ****just ugh. **

**Updates will fluctuate. **

**Thank you for your consideration.**

**~ Mercy**


	9. Chapter 9: Confusions

**AN: Thanks for all the complements and reviews/favourites/follows guys *blushes*. It's been really supportive, so yeah, thanks. :3**

**This chapter would have been out sooner, but it's longer than any other chapter I've written so… :p **

**p.s. I follow the book timeline rather than the movie (Except in some areas, which won't really affect the story) so I really hope you've read the book otherwise… what are you doing at FanFiction? O.o Read the book people. You'll love it!**

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 9 (Blackouts, Confusions and Disillusions) **

"-Sky… Skylar…T-"

Tris' blurry eyes finally focused on the boy in front of her. His own worried green stared back at her as he gentle shook her shoulders.

_'…__Protect, avoid… survive.'_

"C- Colm?" she asked hesitantly.

He smiled, wincing in pain for a second. "Hey Bud, how are you?"

Tris looked confused. "How am I? I should be the one asking how _you_ are," she replied, gentle prodding the blooming bruise that was apparent on Colm's temple.

'_Protect, I should have protected.' _

"Well you've been a little out of it…" he trails off, stepping back and looking to the side awkwardly.

"What do you mean?"

"Sky," Colm says seriously. "It's been three days."

Tris jumps back in shock, her head banging on the top of the bed above. "What?! What are you talking about Colm?"

Grabbing one of her shoulders, Colm gentle pulled her back down to sitting on the bed and explained. Over the last three days Tris had been on autopilot, eating, drinking, training and sleeping at the usual times, but not quite there. The only time she had deviated from her schedule was when commanded by one of the Dauntless leaders or trainers.

"It was really quite terrifying. Your eyes were just grey and soulless. You were just a shell of a person. It really freaked out Four you know. He went pale whenever he saw you," said Colm. He let the sentence hang in the air, but Tris felt no need to explain.

"I know what you did to Peter," Colm said finally. "The bastard deserved it you know-"

"No, he didn't," Tris denied furiously. "No one deserves to be beaten like that."

Colm's expression softened as he watched Tris seemingly break down in front of him. He knew who she was, Beatrice Prior, but he didn't know what had happened to her. Coming from Amity, he sympathised with her, but because he had never been in whatever her situation was, he couldn't properly empathise with her.

"Ordinarily, I would agree," said Colm cautiously. "but he had it coming. Not to mention you were just following orders. We were made to fight, it's all a part of training."

"Survive," Tris whispers.

Colm looks at her strangely, "Pardon?" He pauses for a moment. "You know what, don't worry we have to go," he states, chewing on his lip ring as he stands.

Tris didn't bother questioning him. The overload of her 'breakdown' was enough to keep her mind occupied.

'_I lost three days. Three days and I have no idea what happened to me.' _

"I have no idea what's going on," Colm confessed in his bid to fill the silence. "Four and Eric just called us all out to the train. I figured I'd come get you since you didn't hear the announcement and wouldn't move without a command…" he laughs awkwardly. "Sorry, I'm not really good at this," he says rubbing the back of his neck. "It's one of the reasons I left Amity."

Tris gave him a small smile of reassurance, though he did not notice it with his back turned. She understood what he was trying to say, trying to convey. She wondered for a moment what Colm's aptitude test said. Was he like her? Factionless?

No, while he was timid, he still had a fighting spirit and could fit in with the rest if he hadn't associated with her and put a black mark next to his name.

She hated to ask but, "How is Peter?"

The boy's shoulders stiffened for a moment before relaxing and continuing on. "He's fine now. He had a few broken bones and a lot of bruises, but the Erudite healing serums helped a lot. He didn't get any lasting scars or anything."

'_Scars', _Tris grimaced. '_Lasting or not, I caused that damage.'_

The train horn blares in the distance, coming closer just as they reach the tracks. Four and Eric are the first to jump on, not bothering to mention to the initiates whether to join them or not. Dauntless is a faction of doing, not talking. If your brain can't pick up the basic body language and commands then you will be left behind, figuratively and literally.

The crowd is quick to follow them. Some grimace in pain as they hoist themselves up, but everyone is boarded by the time the last cart has left the station.

The slither of light that cuts through the carriage is enough to illuminate everyones faces. Enough for Tris to see Peter who had gotten on behind them.

In all honesty, he didn't look that bad. The technology surrounding medicine really was extraordinary. He had a small, healing cut on his lip and a light bluish back bruise on his cheek. Apart from that there was no other wounds on his visible skin.

"You're quiet today Peter," teased Christina from across the rocking room. "Looks like Sky really beat some obedience into you."

Tris' flinch was barely perceptible in the darkness, though the tenseness of her body would surely be noticed to any who glanced over.

"Shut it Christina," Tris commanded in the silence. Peter seemed strangely apathetic and Christina wasn't going to hesitate in jumping on the rare opportunity. "He's ranked higher than you. Picking a fight with him is stupid."

"Nice to see you too. Glad you finally woke up," Christina muttered before withering under her glare.

It was not a topic for discussion. Tris' murderous expression made that much clear.

The scenery quickly shifted beyond the opening of the cart from crumbling building to deserted wasteland and fields. The pastures, which were being tended to by Amity, were scattered seemingly randomly throughout the area in order to find the patches of land which were farmable.

The ground was still filled with splotches of potentially deadly radiation, not that anyone was supposed to know about it. Erudite had been keeping the business very hush, hush for years now and didn't seem willing to open up to the generally public anytime soon. _'Then again, it was all free to be seen in the Archives if anyone bother to expand their interest in knowledge besides Erudite. Just because you're not in a certain fraction, doesn't mean you can't have hobbies,' _Tris thought spitefully. _'Otherwise we may all just be robots of five different categories… robots.' _

The large metal fence eventually came into view in the distance, glowing orange in the early morning sun. On the other side was nothing but rolling hills filled with small, brown scrub. What lay further was a mystery that none had felt the need to explore yet.

Tris found this strange. Erudite, with it's thirst for knowledge, had yet to even send a few Dauntless over the border to explore? No, something was definitely up.

"What do you think's out there?" blurted Colm also noticing the strange isolation beyond the fence.

Tris shrugged. She honestly had no clue. "Other colonies?" she said, taking a wild stab in the dark. "I sometimes find it hard to believe that we are the only ones here, clearly there was a civilisation before us," Tris gestured to the ruins behind them. "Who's to say other cities didn't create their own faction society."

Colm pondered this before grinning. "You're so serious Sky. You could have said something interesting, like monsters or zombies," he said, poking his tongue out childishly.

Tris said nothing, but raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"What? You don't like my idea?" asked Colm in an overly dramatic offended voice.

The screech of the train breaks saved Tris from answering as it slows to a stop just fifty meters from the fence. Everyone disembarked quickly and efficiently onto the yellow field that surrounded them as they try to puzzled out their job for the day.

"Alright everyone, please follow me," calls out Tobias as he leads everyone down a road which follows along the fence border.

"First things first. You should all understand and accept that if you don't rank in the top five of initiation, then you will probably end up here."

Many of the initiates grimaced at the idea, Tris included. The hot sun beating down on you for endless, boring hours? No thanks.

"There is the potential for advancement," Tobias admitted. "But it's not much. The most you can get is becoming a guard beyond the fence if you're lucky."

"What are you guarding against?"

Tobias scowled at being interrupted. "Thats for you to find out later Rank Eight."

Will blushed at the slight dig. _'Stupid Erudite curiosity', _he thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Colm smirked and nudged Tris with the point of his elbow. "My zombie idea isn't looking so stupid now is it," He mutter pompously.

Tris whacked him up the backside of his head.

A small smile edged the corner of Four's lips, quickly disappearing as he was addressed.

"Well, what was your rank?" asked Peter. "Why the hell are you doing this then?" he immediately demanded after receiving his answer.

"I didn't want to deal with the governmental side," he replied.

_'__Of course… his father,' _Tris thought.

Tobias glanced over to her and caught her eye. He seemed surprised by her lucidness, but it was a pleased surprise. His multi-shaded eyes were far too expressive for his blank face. Tris took a second to admire his impenetrable mask. Logically, she knew it wasn't something she should be proud of, but the memory of the years she had spent with him as a child hiding themselves together would not leave her be.

They had been so young, so innocent, yet not.

A spark of realisation fled through her as Tris realised none of the jobs available in Dauntless appealed to her. Become a boring guard? Defending the Erudite who seemed to overthrow the factions did not interest her. Although, it's not like she held any loyalty to Abnegation…

_'__I will not blame an entire faction for my- for Andrew's sins. I will remain apathetic.' _

She had little talent in weapon crafting, and the talent she did possess in tattoo artistry did not particularly interest her. Cage fighting for entertainment was out of the question. Period. So, that ruled out any job within the Dauntless compound.

_'__There is noway I will ever be a Dauntless leader for the same reason as Tobias… Not that Andrew would ever allow me to rise to power as is. I wouldn't be surprised if he was arranging an assassination for me…' _

What did Tris want in life? She honestly hadn't expected to live this long. Not to mention free thinking was always out of the question. What was her purpose? _'Protect, avoid, survive.' _

Trucks filled with Amity passes by as they reach a storage warehouse. The sounds of laughter and music fill the air as they happily set about their task. It was so foreign amongst the stoic Dauntless.

"Alright get to work. More trucks should be arriving soon and we need to get these unloaded and cleared," commanded a female, Dauntless guard.

"Coleman? Is that you?" screeched a voice after a few minutes of work.

Colm groaned, but turned around with a beaming smile. "I thought I told you not to call me that, Cora."

The offending girl was dressed lazily in warm, red clothes, while her brown tresses were spilling out of the loose bun perched on her head. A spattering of freckles was stowed upon her nose and chocolate eyes twinkled back at them both.

She rushed over to Colm and dramatically threw her arms around the slightly taller boy. His own arms awkwardly wrapped themselves around her as they jostled the banjo that was strapped to her back.

"You've got metal in your face, Coleman!" she exclaimed in pleasant surprise, pulling back from the embrace. "As if you hadn't be hit with the ugly stick enough," she teased.

Colm pouted, just causing Cora to laugh harder as the lip ring became more pronounced. "Oh yeah? Well, was that you making all that racket down the road? It looks like you still can't carry a tune in a bucket!" he shot back, his voice taking on a slight accent in her presence.

"Well at least I- Hey! Who's this? Coleman, did you go and get yourself a girlfriend?" She asked playfully giving him a large, congratulatory slap on the back. Although, Tris couldn't help but notice the slight downturn of her lips as she said it.

Colm looked slightly sick at the suggestion and Tris couldn't work out if she was pleased or insulted. "Cora, this is Skylar. Skylar, Cora," he nodded to each girl in turn. "Sky, is my _friend_," he explained with extra emphasis on the last word. "And Cora is my-"

"Bestest friend since birth," she explained, cutting in with a brightened smile. "Practically arranged to be married until Mr. Uppity over here decided to ditch us for greener pastures," she grinned broadly as Colm's face decided it liked the colour of his hair and copied it.

"Any _friend _of Coleman is a friend of mine," Cora said holding out a hand for Tris to shake, an unspoken question in her tone.

Tris looked down at the offered appendages and took a moment before grasping it in her own. It was a firm shake, and as they made eye contact she silent conveyed. _'I understand.' _

"Great!" she giggled, suddenly pulling Tris forward with Dauntless strength into a hug.

Tris froze at the contact. Hugged, she was being hugged. She hadn't been hugged since-

Tobias suddenly appeared from behind a stack of crates, startling the group. Colm looked guilty around as he realised how many minutes they had spent wasting time, but Tobias wasn't interested in that.

"Skylar," he called out. "Could I talk to you for a second?"

Cora reluctantly let the girl go as she extracted herself and made her way over to her own childhood friend.

"She's a weird one Coleman," Cora's voice trailed after Tris and she had the strange urge to hit the girl over the back of the head like she had to Colm earlier. _'She was the weird one!? Then what did that make Cora?'_

"You looked like you could use some saving," Tobias explained as he led them father into the maze of storage, eventually coming to a stop when he was sure no one would be able to hear their hushed voices.

Tris nodded. "Thanks," she said hesitantly, rubbing her right bicep. "I'm just not used to…"

"I get it. I understand, Tris. You should know that better than anyone," he finally answers.

"About the fight with P-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Tris cut off.

"No, Tris we need to-"

"We don't need to do anything!"

"I won't let you fall into another phase like you did," Tobias hissed, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her close.

Tris huffed and Tobias shivered at the warm breath that scorched his skin. "You should be used to it by now. My previous one lasted for years," she replied vehemently. "Only moving to another faction away from my father has pulled me out of it. Even then I'm not completely sane Tobias!"

"You can't expect to heal over night," he tried. "But, you can't fall into that pit again there's only so long one can last before they become emotionless."

"Maybe that would be for the best," Tris accidentally blurted out.

"No," said Tobias stiffly, letting go off her shoulders and completely wrapping her in his embrace, and cradling the back of her head with his free hand. Neither took note of Tris' unusual acceptance of the gesture. "I can't lose you again, Tris. Don't make me go through that."

"Then stop leaving me…" she whispered, her eyelashes fluttering against his flush skin as she closed her eyes in fatigue. "The fight," she explained. "You left. Why?"

"It wasn't something I wanted to watch," he said cautiously, threading his fingers through her hair and untangling the knots.

Tris opened her eyes and squinted in a glare before closing them again. "You didn't think I could win," she accused.

The hand paused in it's ministrations, before picking up once more. "No, I believed you _could _do it. It was whether you would allow yourself to do it or not. I didn't want to see that side of you. Which was stupid," he added. "If I had been there, I might have been able to talk out out of it."

"It's fine Tobias," she hushed. "It would have happened no matter what. I'll recover, I just need time."

Time. What a fragile and unattainable thing. It seems like both decades and seconds ago that Tris and Tobias had met. Since they had awkwardly found comfort in each others presence. Now here they were, clasping each other desperately, like the scared children they were.

"Does it get better Tobias?" Tris asked, turning in his arms and staring up at him.

Tobias hummed thoughtfully, gentle placing his chin atop her head. "I don't know yet. We'll see."

He hadn't finished healing yet. Logically, Tris knew that she should be aware of this, but he seemed to strong and put together that It was easy for her to forget his ordeals. Psychological scars lasted longer, but he didn't seem distress. He didn't break down like Tris. He didn't have 'episodes' like Tris. He was like a rock.

_'__But even the strongest of rocks sink.'_

A booming air horn broke the silence, shocking the two out of their stupor.

"Shit," said Tobias glancing down at his watch. "I expect everything to be clean and down by the time the train arrives or you'll be walking back!" he commanded loudly through the stacks of crates. Affirmations from multiple areas could be heard as everyone picked up speed.

"Mmm, I should go," Tris stated with little conviction. She allowed herself to pause for a second more, then dragged herself reluctantly away.

Tris felt herself halt two steps later, being spun around as a pair of soft lips settled onto hers.

It was quick and simple. A simple brush that she would have believed never happened if it weren't for the quick graze of skin that met her flushed cheeks.

Her eyes fluttered shut and refused to open, even as the warm body pulled away.

"Stay safe Tris. Not just for yourself, but for me," he breathed shakily into her ear before making a hasty retreat.

Not opening her eyes, Tris lent against a stack next to her and sunk to the floor. Emotions flooded her senses, making it impossible for thought.

Fear. Desire. Apprehension. Hope. Dread.

And then a strange tingling sensation in the bottom of her stomach.

"Tobias," she whispered through barely parted lips, staring up at the creaky wooden roofing.

She used to have everything about him figured out. She knew all of his secrets and he knew all of hers. His fears, were her fears. Her worries, were his worries.

"Why do you confuse me so?"

**~.~.~**

"We never leave the compound and suddenly we get more time out of base than we do in it," Tris grumbled as the train once again led them away from Dauntless.

Eric's leering grin hanging over her face was no what Tris thought of as a welcoming wake up. If it had been another Dauntless trainer then it might have been a different story…

_'__Bad thoughts!' _Tris admonished.

"Look on the bright side," said Colm looking extra chirpy. "It's a chance to finally get some vitamin D!"

Tris looked sceptically at Colm's pale, freckled complexion. Given the opportunity, she had no doubt it would burn within ten minutes. "You're just hoping we'll see Cora again," she smirked.

Forget sunburn, his face was turning red enough as it was.

"Of course I am, she's my friend."

Nothing was said, but Tris couldn't help the obvious snort of disbelief that escaped her.

Colm grumbled to himself, before turning to Tris with a sneaky smile. "Let's put it this way. Cora is a friend to me as Four is to you. When you feel like opening up then I'll do the same."

She flinched and looked away. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Mmm hmm, okay Sky. You keep telling yourself that."

Four walks up to the front of the carriage and stand next to Eric, while he grabs everyones attention.

"Right, as you should have all figured out by now, we'll be having a nice, friendly game of paintball," Eric articulates with a sharp slap to the container next to him clearly labelled "PAINTBALLS."

"What Eric forgot to mention, is it's also a game of capture the flag," he says with an unamused glare at his colleague. Eric however, looks positively gleeful at what is to come.

"Any questions?" asks Tobias after the rules are explained. An unknown Dauntless boy clearly raises his hand by is ignored by both leaders. "No? Good. Lets pick the teams. Ladies first," Tobias gestured to Eric.

Rather than blowing up as Tris expected him to, he merely shrugged. "If you want to give me the starting advantage, fine. We'll start with the transfers," Eric smirks. "But I want the Stiff."

Tris tensed and watched out the corner of her eye as Tobias did the same.

"The Stiff? What would you want with her?" Tobias jokes, hoping to convince Eric to choose otherwise.

Eric raised a pierced eyebrow. "It's funny to hear that coming from your Four," he chuckled. "And if you think so terribly of her, then you should have no problem with me taking her off your hands."

"Of course," says Tobias with an attempted, unaffected grin. To most it looks natural.

"Christina," Tobias beckons over to his side of the compartment.

Tris takes the initiative and reluctantly goes to stand behind her own captain.

"Edward," chooses Eric as the large boy splits off from the shrinking group.

"Will."

"Peter."

Tris does her best to ignore Peter as he comes to stand beside her and the rest of the team. He doesn't seem overly angry or resentful towards her, but his eyes held a menacing glint that she did not like.

"Colm."

_'Damn,' _Tris thinks as her friend does to stand with Tobias. _'I wanted to be with him, but at the same time I know Tobias will protect him.' _

"Molly," stated Eric as Tris groaned. Team "We hate Tris" was officially a go.

"Drew."

All that was left was Al and a girl Tris only knew as 'Edwards girlfriend.'

"This ought to throw a spanner in the works. Try sneaking around now, Four," Eric goaded before shockingly calling out "Myra."

Tobias cursed and Tris found herself embarrassed to only realise his strategy now. Tobias' team was filled with small, excluding Al, but powerful players. Their height and builds would be great for sneaking around the abandoned streets and capturing the flag before the team even realised they were close.

"Well Al, It looks like you're with us," answered Tobias as a dejected Al sulked past. Tris understood, she had always been picked last for everything when it came to games and activities at school. It wasn't fun, but at the time she hadn't cared. About anything, for that matter. Besides Tobias of course.

Looking across the room, Tris noticed Colm's forlorn expression as he stared around at his teammates. It hadn't occurred to Tris until now, that by spending all their time together she had alienated him from the rest of the initiates. _'Just because I'm an antisocial, paranoid emotionless zombie, doesn't mean I should turn those around me into one…'_

Tris did her best to smile reassuringly at him as he gentle tried to make conversation with one of the Dauntless born girls that joined the team. What seemed like minutes late the teams were sorted and Tobias was already leading his out of the train. Turning around he quickly nodded to Tris which she conveyed as 'Stay safe' and he jumped out of the doorway as his troop followed.

"Alright, this is an abdicratic leadership," announced Eric once the group had al landed safely about three kilometres from where Tobias' group had dropped off. "So that means you guys are in charge. What are you going to do?" he questioned, throwing a glowing, neon green flag to one of the Dauntless born boys.

"Arn't you going to help us? Where have you hidden flags in the past?" asked a purple haired girl.

"I'm your leader, not your babysitter. Telling you would ruin the point of the exercise," Eric explained calmly, crossing his arms over his chest in a facade of bored relaxation.

The girl let out an undignified shriek. "Fine, we'll do this without you. Come on losers!" She demanded, leading everyone aimlessly down the street.

The Dauntless born seemed to fight relentlessly over tactics and position, never willing to give in or see merit in others ideas. The transfer initiates spoke up as much as they could, but were quickly shut down for being the 'babies of the group.'

"Ugh, fine. We'll just put it here," a boy yelled, taking out the flag and wrapping it around the branch of the tree above them. Everyone was tired of arguing and simply let it happen, opting rather to stand guard and look menacing with their guns. Everyone except Tris.

"Are you actually kidding?" Tris could help exclaiming incredulously. "That's where you're going to put it?"

"You got something you want to say Stiff?" the purple girl hissed, leaning into Tris' face.

Tris laughed. She couldn't help it. The girl looked like she was playing dress up compared to her father's cold glares. "Yeah, I do actually," said Tris snarling back. "You're all being fucktards, wasting time and energy arguing, only then to randomly place the flag in one of the most obvious places."

Eric smiled as the all the Dauntless born hackles rose. The transfers looked on impassively. They might have felt insult too if they had even been able to get a word in edge wise.

"Listen here Stiff. We're the big dogs around here. You listen to us Pup, got it?" another boy pipes up, suddenly forgetting he was one of the more vocal voicing out against the purple girl.

_'__protect, avoid, survive,' _Tris chanted. _'Be calm. This is just an exercise . No need to get worked up. In order to survive, I will avoid. There is no one here in need of protection… except myself perhaps.' _

Just as Tris was about to defer to others, a deep, authoritative tone decided to intervene. "You are to take this as if it were a real situation with real bullets. Convince yourself if you get hit, you may die," Eric commanded.

_'__He is the leader,' _Her mind whispered. _"Listen to the leader… Survive…' _

Tris' eyes glazed over in a terrifying way. So cold, so emotionless as her body took over. "Listen here, you inbred twit. If you want to live, you _will_ listen to me," enunciated Tris, poking the shocked girl in the chest. "You just placed the package in a site that can be seen from all three sides. Area, land and sea."

"She does know we are not actually going to die, right?" whispered Edward to Peter, who just shook his head.

"You see that?" asked Tris, pointing to the pier and the ocean beyond it which lay just a hundred meters from their current location. "That is open ocean. Also known as the perfect hiding spot for infiltrators to swim underneath where we won't be able to see them in the moonlight. "Now look here," says Tris, gesturing to the wide open space that lay in front of the pier, only broken by the tree in which the flag was placed. "I know our flag is neon, but for christ sake, do you really need to illuminate it for the world to see? We aren't allowed to cover it, but you can at least attempt to hide it!"

Finally, Tris pointed off into the distance, confusing the group. "And that, is their automatic ticket to finding us. You can bet your ass they have someone climbing the ferris wheel in order to find us. And you gave them a perfect view, in an open clearing, surrounded by water, in a fucking tree," she gave a slight pause in between each offence for emphasis.

"And how would you know that?" the girl sneered, finding her courage.

The urge to role her eyes was barely contained. "If you had paid even the slightest attention to your surroundings, you would have noticed that Four's group jumped off right by the carousel, a known, popular place in Dauntless for hiding a flag. It's less than two hundred meters from the ferris wheel. Just because you're not Erudite, doesn't mean you can't use your brain."

The girl's eyes widened in realisation, then peering suspiciously at another discovery. "But how did you know about th-"

"Edward," stated Tris, cutting off the previous girl suddenly. "You used to be Erudite, yes?"

He nodded, not understudying exactly where this was going.

"The Erudite compound is about four kilometres from here. You transferred to Dauntless, so I have no doubt you know this place like the back of your hand. Where can we hide the flag?" she asked seriously.

He spluttered indignantly before reluctantly acknowledging that he had, in fact, snuck out often during his childhood. "Now that you mention it, there is this abandoned apartment building about two streets over. A bunch of us used to get together and hang out there. The windows would be great for shooting out of, and the hallways are easily defendable if we choose a room to stash the flag."

"Great. A show of hands to who would rather leave the flag out here in the open for the enemy it take?" No one made a move. Tris nodded to Edward, "Lead the way."

As the group took off, Tris added as an after thought. "Guns out. The enemy might have heard us. You know, with all the yelling," Tris disparagingly smiled. The other did just that as they quickly made their way to the apartment.

True to Edwards word, it was easily defendable and could be manned by about three people without being over run. One in the window to alert the others to intruders, while two waited in the doorway of the room as suppression of the hallway.

The room was simple, filling with peeling paint and empty bottles. Even the Erudite had to let loose occasionally. "Do we need to worry about Will knowing about this place?" Tris wondered aloud.

Surprisingly, Myra was the one to answer. "He always had his head stuck in a book. He never wanted to come join us, so we don't have to worry about him." Edward smiled encouragingly to her.

"Strategy, strategy," Tris repeated to herself under her breath as they set up defence. Five transfers and six Dauntless born for each team. _'and Eric,' _Tris added.

Tris knew Tobias like the back of her hand, but she wasn't so sure about Four.

"Eric," Tris enquired. She didn't want to speak to him, but gathering information was essential. "What would Four do in his situation? Would he stay back as defence, or be a part of the retrieval squad?"

He looked surprised at being addressed, but answered nonetheless. "Usually, I would say he would stay back and defend for the team. He's always been a protector, but," he drags out for a slight pause, grinning evilly. "I _have _been pissing him off lately, so I'd say he will be mid way, leading the team to find us, but not being the one to actually take the flag."

"We should just wait here," exclaims Molly. "Take them out here and when they're incapacitated, we go for their flag."

Tris frowns. "And let them fight on their terms? We could easily defend this place for an extended period of time, but we also won't make any progress."

"Then we split up. Leave some people here and send the rest out to retrieve the flag," answers Peter from the corner where he sits lazily on a worn mattress.

"We should send the smaller people to infiltrate," adds a Dauntless born boy.

A noise of disapproval sounds from Edward, "They have Al. He'll be defending. He's a terrible shot, but he could take down most of the smaller people in this room," his eyes drifting to Tris for a moment.

"And Uriah," a Dauntless girl reminds. "He's a powerhouse."

"Still, it could be useful to have the smaller people to sneak in while you we distract them," Peter speaks up. "Send a mix of big guys with a couple of sneaky spies who can steal the flag while we go out in a blaze of glory."

After a few moment of deliberation, everyone agreed it was the best idea, if not the most well thought out.

"I nominate Myra and Tris as the spies," announced a nameless Dauntless born. "They're sneaky, have the perfect build, good at keeping secrets…" he trailed off topic.

"Right," Tris said gruffly. "Anyone in particular who wants to stay behind?"

A hand instantly shot up. The dauntless born smiled sheepishly, "I kinda injured my leg earlier in the week. I'm a good shot though, so if you don't mind…"

"I'll stay back as well," announced Eric unpredictably. "As much as I want to kick Four's ass, we need a leader to hang back here while the other goes in for retrieval.

Tris chose to ignore the comment.

Edward, Molly and a quite Dauntless born girl reluctantly volunteered to stay back when no one else spoke up. Their combined brawn would be enough to easily over come the others in the close quarters. It was a bit of over kill leaving five behind, but it was better safe than sorry.

"Right, the five of you stay back and the rest of us will head out and split up when we get closer. One distraction team and one recovery team," Peter confirmed coming to stand next to Tris with no visible hostility. For now, then enemy was the other team. Petty feuds could be settled back at the compound.

Tris nodded. "Lock and load everyone," she smirked. "Let the games begin."

**~.~.~**

**AN: 2 exams down just 1 to go (Albeit the hardest one). Then I can completely devote myself to sleeping, training, relaxing, sleeping, internet… and of course writing :3 Yes, I put sleep twice… it's important to me goddammit! :p**

**Yeah, some details of what happened in the timeline etc. were changed here. It's not an AU story, but I figured it wouldn't matter much or change the story much, so… **

**So, does this chapter once and for all fix up confusion about the pairings? 'Cause seriously. *Insert 'are you fucking kidding me?' meme* **

**And yes, I gave Amity a slight redneck/southern accent. Sue me ^-^ I never get to write using 'strange' language, so give me an opportunity to mix it up and goddammit, I will take it! :D**

**If you liked it, leave me a review/follow/favourite. If not, leave me a review and let me know why so I can improve :)**

**Ta,**

**~ Mercy**


	10. Chapter 10: Traitors and Knives

**AN: Well look at that, you little buggers gave me over 1000 views in the space of a day on my last update! Thanks :3**

**Shout out to Kayla101 who left a review reminding me about a fact I forgot a while ago. I think you'll see I included it in this chapter, if only as a brief mention. I might expand on it later if possible. **

**And also to Lynda Loyde. I've known her over FF for a while and she has been a great help for my writing and just general conversation. You should check out her Divergent fic she's got going called Acacia. ;) Lord knows she updates faster than I do!**

**Gah, I swear you are all psychic. Every time I would stop writing to go do something else I would get a review and get guilted into writing again. Y'all are persistent, I'll tell you that, but it keeps me motivated, so thanks everyone!**

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 10 (Traitors and Knives)**

If Tris had to be honest, it was a pretty terrible stealth mission. Somehow and someway, almost all her members seemed to find new and different ways of making unnecessary noise.

A scraping of fabric against a brick wall, breathing far to loud for the quiet streets, even a crunch of leaves underfoot. Leaves. In an abandoned city. Seriously.

Tris would have groaned if not for the fact she refused to add anymore noise to the possibility of being given away. Then again, maybe it was for the best. Draw the enemy here while she and Myra sneak away.

A slight rustle made Tris pause as she quickly hissed at everyone to jump into an alleyway. Gun shots went off in the distance behind them as a scouting group of enemy troops jogged past.

The high walls of the alley easily allowed their large figures to blend into the twisting shadows. If anyone looked closely they may have noticed the slight shine to the paint guns held in their hands, but the distraction of the sudden noise and adrenalin rushing through their veins caused them to miss the signs.

"We should have ambushed them," whispered a Dauntless born girl once the figures had left. "We could have beat them, we have more manpower."

"It would have given away our position," Myra whispers, stepping out of the dark and carefully peaking around the corner.

"Besides," Tris adds quietly. "Paintballs won't keep them down. They may sting like a bitch, but it will just keep us in a gun battle. That's not what we are here to do. Not in this position anyway."

The girl grumbled, wanting a fight, but she knew soon blood would be shed. Well, bruises would be given, but it was good enough for the time being.

"I hope Edward's okay…" said Myra suddenly as another round of shots went off from the direction of the apartment building.

A loud snort emerged from Peter as his impatience gave in and he pushed past out into the street. "Your lover boy will be fine. He's ranked second."

A Dauntless boy interrupted with a laugh of his own, also creeping out of the shadows as the group began to make their way once more. "Second out of the _transfer_ initiates_. _He wouldn't last five minutes against us," he boasted.

Peter puffed up his chest indignantly, giving the Dauntless boy a shove. "Mr. Big Shot aye? I reckon I could take you on right now," he crowed.

"Careful, transfer," He hissed, getting up and dusting himself off. The expression on his face was positively feral. "It's lonely out here. No one would be around to save you if you were to have an accident."

That's when the shot went off.

Neon green paint sprayed over the group and the close range paintball brutally hit Peter's kneecap. The aforementioned boy dried out in pain, gripping the injury with a force that would surely worsen it.

"Dauntless, Bitch," the assailant eyes seemed crazed as he stared down at his handy work. "Love it or leave it."

With only a moment of contemplation Tris grabbed hold of her gun and brought the butt down heavily on the boy's temple. His body slunk to the ground, eyes fluttering as he looked up to Tris' cold stare.

"Then leave, Traitor," She spat, shooting him the kneecap as he had so barbarically done to Peter. The boy only had a second to scream before unconscious abruptly cut him off.

Peter groaned from his position on the concrete, letting out a litany of 'fuck's while the group stared in shock at the outburst which had taken mere seconds.

A series of yelling and footfalls sound as everyone scrambled for their weapons. The enemy was alerted, and they were on their way.

Tris knelt down next to the unconscious boy as a Dauntless born helped Peter stand. He almost collapsed again when Tris gently brushed a finger over the paint stained injury.

"Skylar," Myra hisses, the sounds coming closer, "we have to go!"

Her fingers are a glowing rush as she finishes her work and places herself on the other side of Peter as a crutch. "I'm done. Lets go," She says.

Glowing in the darkness, the words, "TRAITOR" stain the motionless boy's clothes, leaving him for the other team.

It was irrational, Tris knew that. Those few second she had spent painting had cost the team, but damn it felt good.

Orange paintballs flew around the group as they pounded the pavement, Peter limping and whimpering. It was as if luck had fled them completely when they came to a grinding halt. A ten foot chain link fence, topped with barbed wire, standing in their way. The amusement park lay on the other side, the ferris wheel and carousel not five hundred meters away.

"Fuck, we don't have time for this," Tris muttered angrily, ripping off her jacket and throwing over the wire. The cool, night air caressed her skin as she laced her fingers together and motioned for one of the Dauntless to use her as a leg up.

Everyone got the quickly got the idea, helping each other over the narrow strip of leather that would protect them from the barbs. Tris grunted in effort as one of the heavier built dauntless born placed all their weight in her laced hands.

A cold hand was placed on Tris' shoulder and she looked over to a wide eyed Myra. "Sky, your arms…"

Tris' thin tank top, while convenient, was awfully revealing. Her scars, in full frontal view, appeared electric in the light. With each shift of her muscle, the collagens shine moved, traveling along the pain born pathways like a charge in a circuit. Her porcelain skin in comparison seemed dull, the blank area on a canvas where a painter had yet to leave his mark.

Her real tattoos were the only break in the luminescent design. The bird outline seemed to peer over her collarbone down to the mechanic's pepping out of the top of her singlet, churning and turned with each beat of her pulse.

"I know," Tris grunted. "Hurry up," she reminded, watching over her shoulder as some enemy arrived around the corner, just a little ways down the road.

She nodded and quickly scrambled over the fence with surprising grace, leaving Tris as the lsat one. An orange splat hit the ground where her foot had been a second ago, now stuck into one of the links in the fence. Scaling the frame, Tris quickly threw a leg over and dug another foot in, hovering over the fence and out of the metal's harmful way.

"GO," she mouthed to her awaiting teammates, waving a hand as she unstrapped the gun from her back. Taking aim, she carefully looked down the sight, took a breath, and fired.

The first shot was perfect, arching through the midnight air and hitting the chest of, who Tris identified as, Will. Despite the sound of the gun, Tris was still able to hear the small grunt he let out as he grabbed his chest and ducked into their previous alley.

_'__I hurt him. I caused him pain. No, it's part of the mission. Life or death. Life or death.' _

The second bullet flew askew, hitting a wall as Tris' shaky hands lined up the next shot. "Fuck, I don't have time for this," Tris muttered under her breath. Abandoning her insane kamikaze idea, she jumped down from her position on the fence, abandoning her jacket which would be strewn with holes.

She knew they would be following her a second later, but she hoped the fence would slow them down to give her just enough time to sneak away. Without the obligation of looking after her team, Tris was easily able to evade her followers, slipping and blending into shadows as if she herself was nothing but a silhouette.

Voices sounded in the distance and Tris carefully stepped back around a corner, concentrating on the noise. That was her folly.

A hand slipped around her, stifling her scream before it had begun as it covered her mouth. Hot breath scorched her skin, calmly pushing in and out as she took a moment to calm herself.

"Look at you Tris, skulking around in the dark," her assailant whispered.

Turning her head, Tris managed to slip her mouth free, "You're a bastard, Tobias."

"Mmm," he mutter absentmindedly, leaning down and placing his head in the crook of her neck. "My parents were married actually, unfortunately."

"Unfortunately? But Tobias if they weren't together then-" Tris hastily attempted to pull out of his embrace, hoping her words would distract him for just long enough. However, his arms held her like steel, barely a centimetre of movement was given.

Tobias chuckled, pulling her tighter against him. His body was flush against her, and she could feel the warm skin of his arms against where her tank top had risen in the tussle. Tris had to repress a shiver as his heated words caressed her ear. "Uh uh, Tris. No moving now. I don't want to hurt you, so I'll just have to keep you distracted until my team can get your flag."

_'__The mission. The flag. Enemy. The mission. Life or death… Obey!'_

Tris' eyes glazed over and she went completely stiff in his embrace.

The enemy arms surrounding her also went tense at the sudden change, and let go, twisting her around to face him. "Tris…?"

Looking up and the man, with zero expression, she swiftly head butted her opponent, sending him careening to the ground. Skylar paused only for a fraction of a second before pulling the paintball gun off her back and aiming at her attacker's head.

Tobias' eyes went wide with confusion, then softening in despair, taking in her familiar features. Holding up his hands in an unthreatening manner he spoke, "Tris."

"My name, is Skylar," the girl said simply, looking down at him with dead eyes.

"Tris." Skylar cocked the gun.

"Skylar," he amended. "lets talk about this."

"What is there to talk about?" she asked with no inflection in her voice. Her head almost appeared to tilt to the side in genuine confusion. Like a lost puppy trying to find it's way home. "I take you down. Capture the flag. Mission success. Pain avoided."

It was Four's turn to blank out, his face turning deadly as he asked calmly, "Pain? Who said anything about pain, Tris?" Anger had over taken his vision, and he stood up calmly despite the gun directed towards him.

Skylar didn't bother correcting him on her name. He was in authoritarian mode now, regardless of the exercise. "Trainer Eric commanded that we treat this like a life or death mission, Sir," she explained, letting the gun's nozzle drop from his face and holding the weapon diagonally against her chest like that of a soldier. "As always, I assumed that failure of the mission would result in the appropriate punishment, Sir."

"Fuck!" Four swore, unable to hold himself back as he let his fist loose, hitting the brick wall beside them with bone crushing force. "Not this shit again Tris! We are not here to hurt you!" He barely kept himself from screaming, stepping forward and grabbing Skylar by the shoulders and staring down to her desperately.

"With all due respect, Sir, you are hurting me." Her expression did not change, hell, there was no expression at all, but her eyes did flicker down to the hands gripping her biceps.

Four stumbled back, as if he himself was struck, letting her go. Through the entire ordeal, Skylar did not twitch or flinch, even as the obvious finger shaped bruises curled around her arms like the scars that already marred them.

"Catalyst," Four whispered shakily. "That's all I am to you."

"Pardon?" asked Skylar, not hearing him through his rough murmurs.

Four turned to her with dazed eyes. "A catalyst, Sky. I'm the fucking catalyst of your issues! I get close to you and you freeze. I try to be near you and you get flashbacks. You're finally free, yet I chase you with memories of the past!" he hisses.

A moment of clarity sparks in Skylar. "Four, you're not the cause of my problems," she says before returning to her state.

Four laughs, but it's not joyful, it's teeters on the edge of hysteria. "You're right, I'm not the problem, Tobias is."

A childlike smile finds it's self creeping onto Skylar's face. Innocent in it's ignorance. "You make it sound like they are two different people, Four."

"Hypocrite," he spits before he can help himself, watching in dismay as Skylar's smile drops to a frown, like a chastised child. "It didn't always used to be like this Tris. We we're hurting, but we still had feelings. We we're happy, sometimes."

"It's better this way. Less hurt. Less pain."

"Is it really though?" his eyes bore into her empty depths. "You say you are emotionless now, yet you're hurting. Arn't you Tris?"

Skylar snarls. "I told you not to call me that! Tris was weak, vulnerable. I refuse to be what that pathetic girl was."

"You aren't pathetic, Tris, but you _are _that girl. She is your past, present, and future."

With a quick movement, Skylar drew her gun once more on the man in front of her. "Now who is the hypocrite? Tobias, or would you rather be called Four now? Things changed. I changed."

Four angrily paced on the spot, watching as the gun followed his tracks. "Trust me Tris. No one fucking knows that better than I do! Yeah, your father tried to murder you. How was that any different t-"

"You have no right-"

"I have ever right Tris!" yelled Tobias into the empty night. Giving up the facade of discretion. "We were friends! For a time, I liked to think we were more than that, and you fucking left!"

"I never went an-"

"I don't mean physically! Oh, you were there with you dead eyes and cold emptiness," he lashed out, coming to stand in front of the shaking Skylar. She was not scared, not of Four at least, but of Tobias' words.

"And you know what. It. Hurt," he whispered, down to her. It was not sensual, it was not comforting. It was the whisper of a scared and lonely soul. "It hurt more than any physical or psychological pain my father had ever been able to inflict. The only one who understood me, who really knew me was gone. Replaced with just a shell of a being. I should have protected you," he said, taking another step forward so that the nozzle of the gun rested between his ribs. He ran his fingers over the scars that trailed up her arms, following along her collar bone and coming to a rest at the top tattoo that sat just above the swell of her breast.

"I saw you that day. When you applied this tattoo," his finger followed the pattern of a rotating gear. "You had been Skylar for years, yet there was a spark Tris," he abruptly pulled away and instead cupped her face, letting his thumbs brush beneath her eyelids. "That spark was you. The real you, not this impostor attempting to live in a gilded cage. Your eyes," he tried to explain, not being able to find the right words. "They lightened in the darkness. For the first time since your birthday, they held emotion, a flare of triumph…" he trailed off. "And then it disappeared again. Bring back your spark Tris," he pleaded.

A single drop of moisture ran over Tobias' thumb.

"I'm sorry Four," Skylar stated with little conviction. "As I said before. Tris is gone."

That's when the shot went off.

Green paint sprayed back onto Skylar, arching through the air like blood from a wound. Apart from a small grunt that heaved itself from Four as he fell to the ground, nothing else could be heard. He simply stared up at Skylar with jaded, betrayed eyes as she slowly backed away. She couldn't help it, despite everything, a painful sliver of guilt settled deep int her core. Four did not get up. He did not move as she turned and broke into a sprint, disappearing into the distance. She was the on that should have 'Traitor' painted on her chest, but she just kept running.

A splash of paint sat directly over his heart. A shattered illusion implanting itself in his heart.

**~.~.~**

In the end, the final battle was not left without casualties. Eric and his squad had kept a keen eye and had gone to the carousel after ensuring that the retreating enemy was not a feint. Four's team desperately tried to defend their flag, but were quickly overwhelmed by sheer, brute force.

Although the whole endeavour was unnecessary as Myra had snuck around minutes earlier and stolen the flag while everyone was preoccupied. Let it be known she had tried to tell everyone, but with the intimidating, and slightly childish, war cries coming from the Dauntless horde, her words were lost to the wind. Giving up, she had opted to climb up the ferris wheel and sit in a cart next to a desolate looking Skylar. Together they watched the fight in silence, marvelling at the light show created by the glowing globs of paint as they flew through the air.

Myra wanted to ask what was wrong, why she stared out into nothingness like her world had fallen apart. Why she had taken so long to arrive and no provided backup. Not that it was needed. Skylar had arrived with plenty of time to spare, but she let her team be, seeing that they were perfectly capable operating on their own.

Thirty minutes later, Eric's team had won and held Four's team hostage at gun point, while they looked around confusedly for the flag. Deciding enough was enough, Skylar and Myra quickly scaled down to the awaiting group.

"All right!" Edward cheered proudly, lifting Myra and swing her around. "You got the flag!"

She blushed prettily as most to the group pretended to throw up and dry heave. The rest of the team soon converges on the startled girl helping lift her into the air, cheering in an undignified fashion that they would later deny.

The wide grin that splits Eric's face is replaced with a frown as he touches his side, coming away with sticky paint. "I was wondering where you were Four," he calls out, a lone figure stepping out of the shadows. "That was a little low don't you think? I always knew you were a sore loser."

"Sorry," Four replies with no conviction. "I didn't realise that game had finished."

Eric rolls his eyes and grins once more. "Look how the mighty have fallen, taking cheep shots from my blind side. Remind me never to turn my back on you."

"All's fair in love and war," Four replies emotionlessly.

"That it is," Eric replied with a smirk. "Nice paint job you've got there. Someone is a heartbreaker," he said with fake sympathy, motioning the shot that would have pierced his heart had it been a real bullet. "First time I've actually seen you come back from one of these activities with paint on you if I recall correctly."

"Just further testament to why _I _was ranked first," Four muttered with fake bravo.

With a shake of his head, Eric merely replied, "It's just proof you are going _weak_."

**~.~.~**

Tris freezes the moment she enters the room. Target practice. Usually not so bad, but on the table lay her fear. Knives. Memories instantly wash through her system, flooding her sense and tormenting her mind.

Her birthday. Her father. Her scars. Her loss.

_'__No, No, No, NO. I can't- I can't do this. Not yet- I…' _her mind jumbles.

"Skylar," Eric calls from the center of the room. He leans casually against the table, holding a knife between his finger tips.

_'__Andrew, he looks like Andrew,'_ Tris begins to hyperventilate, gripping onto the doorway as she stares at her trainer with undisguised fear. _'Protect, avoid, survive. Avoid.' _

Removing herself from the blocked doorway where other initiates had begun to complain, Tris swiftly ignored Eric and dashed across the room, placing herself as far away from the knives as possible. The air in the room was thick and suffocating, clogging up her airways rather than acting as its usual life-giving force.

Colm made his way across the room, standing next to his frozen friend. "Hey," he said quietly, gently going to place a hand on her shoulder.

The reaction was instantaneous. Curling in on herself, Tris violently threw herself away from the boy with wide, unseeing eyes. "Don't touch me," be whispered in audibly.

"Pardon?" asked Colm, but not making another move to hold her.

Taking a step back, Tris felt the cool walls close in on herself as she found the corner. "Don't touch me," she reiterated.

Colm looked at his friend sadly, but did as she asked. She was broken, and he knew he wasn't the one able to fix it. "I'm sorry Beatrice," he said simply, and walked away to the rest of the initiates before she could react to her proper name.

"Today is the last day of training for stage one," announced Eric to the group surrounding the table bar one. "Tomorrow will be the last of the fights in which you can prove your rank, but for now we will continue on with target practice," he grinned. "Everyone pick up three knives and watch as the almighty Four demonstrates," came Eric's drawling voice.

The initiates were all quick to follow the command and made their way over to the awaiting trainer. Seeing there was no other choice, Tris peeled herself from the wall and stood in front of the table. Barely glancing at the contents, she feigned grabbing a set of knives and then situated herself between the initiates so that the view of her hands was obscured by the multiple bodies.

Not a single moment of Four's demonstration would ever be recalled by Tris. The knives surrounded her, hanging out of pockets and draping themselves lazily in hands. They sat there, mocking her and her weakness. Just as Tris was about to pull her hair out from anxiety the knives drifted away as the initiates each chose their own station.

Knives fly throughout the room, whizzing around as if they had their own secret agenda. The initiates seemed so desperate to prove themselves before it was too late, and the knives seemed to be drawn to everything but the targets on the walls. Tris flinches as one dangerously slid diagonally along the floor, coming from Al's shaky hand. He smiled apologetically, soon regretting it as it made Tris flinch that much further.

_'__He was the boy,'_ she realised. _'He was the one that ran that day and left. He knows.'_

Shivering, Tris pulled her gaze back from the boy and drew back her hand, going through them motions and hoping intensely that Eric had suddenly spawned into an ignorant, blind monster that wouldn't notice the lack of weapon in her hands.

Sadly, those first two proved to be erroneous wishes.

"Stiff," he calls out. "Have you tried actually throwing a knife? Maybe you'll hit the target that way."

Tris continued with her movements, trying to come up with an excuse. "Practice. I'd rather be sure my weapon won't hit someone before I try throwing it. Besides, I haven't seen anyone else hit the target either. It's not like I'm technically behind."

"Won't hit someone," laughed Eric. "Oh sure, you're not meant to hit someone now, but the whole point of this training is so you can hit someone later," he finished, placing a knife in Tris' hand.

The knife slipped from Tris' unresponsive extremity with a loud clang, drawing the attention of the other initiates.

"Initiate, I want you to pick up that knife and throw it at the target," explained Eric calmly.

Tris looked at him, eyes glazing over and then swirling once more. _'He commands it, but I can't! Obey… no. Obey. No. OBEY.'_

"No!" blurted Tris loudly before she could control herself. She was almost shaking from keeping herself from bolting from the room.

Eric twitched. "What was that?"

"No."

Another twitch. "Ok, you don't have to throw the knife," he answered, deceptively amicably.

Four stood up from where he had been observing from the wall, "Eric," he said carefully. "Think before y-"

"I've got this Four," he snarled. "Actually, you can come help me with this. Skylar," he said, turning to address the defiant yet cowering girl. "Please go stand in front of the target."

A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Tris' forehead. _'No. Knives. Command. Obey. Avoid. Command. Survive. Father. SURVIVE. KNIVES.' _She couldn't move. She couldn't move physically and her mind wouldn't move on mentally. Her thoughts circled like sharks in bloodily waters.

Eric growled at her defiance. "Allow me to make a minor alteration to my previous statement. Initiate Skylar as your _commander_ I outrank you and you _will _go stand in front of that target or face the factionless," he hissed, taking step forward and glaring down.

_'__Obey. Danger. Survive.'_

Taking a small step back, Tris shakily headed for the target, her feet periodically halting and pulling her in different direction. Finally reaching the target, Tris turned and faced the crowd as they filled out of the danger zone as instructed by Eric. The bullet proof glass of the civilian viewing area which they stood behind did nothing to ease Tris' aching nerves.

"This is immature Eric," called out Tobias.

"You might have ranked higher than me Four, but my job outranks you. Do. It."

With a bored sigh, Tobias stood at the throwing line, three menacing knives in hand. Only Tris would be able to see his anguish if only she would focus.

_'__Survive. Stand still. Knives. Tobias. Help. No. Avoid.'_

It was a constant repeat, calming Tris in its repetitiveness and shaking her in its meaning and warning. The man who stood in front of her morphed from a strangely comforting stranger into her father. There he stood, smirking and deadly. His voice mocked her despite his still lips. _'You are worthless… I am worthless.' _

_'__Forgive me Tris…' _Tobias' mind whispered as he let the first knife fly.

His aim was true, striking the board just centimetres from Tris' left hand. Physically she didn't not move, but inwardly she flinched, repressing the urge to jump back and flee from the stifling room. A tear slipped from her eye before she could stop it and her body shivered.

"Please, stop," she whispered, easily heard in the silent and reverberating room.

Eric tisked from behind the glass, crossing his arms in disapproval. "I didn't say you could stop Four. Next," he barked.

Tobias' bored expression drooped. Taking a second to breathe he quickly sent Tris a pleading look and once again assumed an unaffected expression.

_'__No more. Protect. Please father. Avoid. What did I do? Survive. Why do you hate me. Knives. Why?'_

The next knife came to a shock to Tris, being thrown as her eyes were closed. Air tickled her neck as the next knife came millimetres from her jugular and a collective gasp could be heard in the room. Had she breathed at the wrong moment and it would have nicked her.

Meanwhile Tobias was breathing heavily across the room. He hated this. Hated himself. He didn't want to do it, but Eric's thirst for blood would not be satisfied by fancy tricks. He could see Tris freaking out behind her mostly unmoved expression. It was the tear that escaped her which truly broke his heart. He had made her cry twice now. _'I'm still a fucking catalyst…'_

The initiates behind the glass erupted into whispers and Tris' tear and Tobias' hesitation. Some theories were completely outlandish and others were scarily close to the truth. The more everyone had seen and talked to Tris, the more pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. Her past, her attitude, her abilities, her scars, her tattoos. All elaborate, accidental hints that Tris wasn't ready to face. She didn't think she would ever be ready to face.

With a croaky voice, Tris spoke, "Does this make you feel strong Eric? Do you feel like a bigger man, picking on the weak? Kicking the injured while they're down? Only a monster like you could sleep soundly at night." Eric did not reply. He did not move. He did not fall for her taunts.

Tris tried to block out everything around her, find a focal point and grasp it with pure desperation. However, the room was clear. There were no cracks, there were no specks, there were no clouds to stare out at into the distance, so she focused on Tobias. At first he still appeared as her father. He was like a car crash, it hurt, but you couldn't look away.

Slowly, he dissolved, losing the pursed lips and replacing them with soft, cupid shaped, but tightened lips from strain. His black hair faded slightly to brown and his eyes turned a brilliant, ever shifting blue. For as long as Tris had known him, for as strong as his masks were, it was always his eyes with gave him away. Gave his emotion away.

And right now he was looking into her own eyes with such sadness that it physically pained her.

A surge of anger filled Tris as the final knife flew toward her unguarded head. Not at the knife, but at their situation. The constant hiding, running, fighting. Surviving, but not living. What was the point?

Tris allowed herself a moment to flick her eyes over to Eric. She had tolerated the man, but now the sight of him filled her with unadulterated hate. It scared her for a moment, the only one she had ever hated was her father and it was more out of fear. Hate, this hate, it was wild, feral, unnatural. She hated him.

Blood dribbled over Tris' ear as the knife found its mark, scratching the top.

She wanted him dead.

Grasping the knife by her hand, she wrapped her fingers around the smooth handle and let it go. It was smooth, and it was perfect. The jagged blade stuck in the glass with a resounding force, directly in line with Eric's head.

Eric did not flinch, trusting the glass, but he did raise a manicured eyebrow. "Perfect aim," he remarked casually, like a knife had not just been thrown at him with intent to kill. "Who are you, Stiff, or more importantly what are you?"

With a huff, Tris sprinted out the door, almost blurring in her haste. She was done. If she stayed there a moment longer, then next knife wouldn't be stopped by glass… and she would never be able to live with herself.

**~.~.~**

**AN: Well, y'all should be happy now. I'm free!**

**Pretty sure I failed science, but I'm too excited for the holidays and it's not going towards my ATAR anyway, so it's fine. :p**

**I love just scrolling through the story statistics and thinking, "Huh, I have 24 readers from Iceland… wut." XD Thanks Icelanders? Icelandics? Icelanderionos? **

**I'll be trying to have a new chapter out every 2 weeks (maybe 3) at the latest. I can't see any issues with updating except around christmas time when I'm off visiting Father and my half-sister interstate. **

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews and favourite etc. I always let out a little squeal when I get a notification in my email. **

**Seriously though, your support means a lot to me. :)**

**~ Mercy**


	11. Chapter 11: In-fucking-sane

**AN: Merry Early Christmas everyone!**

**Consider this chapter, my gift to you (As I'm not sure If I'll be able to upload before christmas after this). **

**Yes, you might notice I will refer to her as Tris one sentence and Skylar then next. For those that haven't picked it up yet, whoever I refer to her as is the one current in control. **

**It may be a tiny bit confusing at times but bare with me.**

**Tris, the real her, broken, but fixable.**

**Skylar, controlled by authority, emotionless, child-like in her confusion of the world. **

**Yeah, bahrfamily, your last review is pretty much what I'm aiming for. I won't outright say it as I don't want to be too specific and mix up real life facts regarding it (Thus possibly offending people), but yes, you could say its a variation of that. **

**M'kay? :3**

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 11 (In-fucking-sane)**

Tris was about ready to fling herself off the chasm for her lack of foresight and all she could feel was pit of dread sloshing around the bottom of her stomach. The previous day had passed by uneventfully when taking into consideration the level of uneasy regarding the final fights. Molly had been paired up with Tris and given a good fight, but they both knew the outcome with Tris coming out on top.

Surprisingly, Colm had won his fight against Christiana and no one was quite sure if she had thrown the match convincingly or if the Amity transfer had really grown that much.

Taking a deep breath, Tris took a moment to calm herself as she lent against on of the pit walls. It would never happen, it was impossible. The other initiates were wandering around with their own expressions of worry and hopefulness. They hoped to see those who they had left behind, and Tris was the opposite.

Visiting Day. How could she not have seen it?

Slowly, initiates filed out of the room. Some radiating with happiness as they led loved ones through the compound and others sulking back to their room in despair. Tris was happy to see Colm running over to his mother, his best friend at her side. They embraced lovingly, the warm reds and oranges of their clothes as stark contrast to the dull colours of Dauntless.

Faction before Blood, that was the motto. However, while Amity were peaceful pacifists, it would take a lot before they simply abandoned one of their own to the dogs. Sending Colm a quick smile while he beamed back she slowly began to back into the shadows.

A rough hand suddenly wraps itself around wrist, and with a quick movement the hand spins her around. With wide eyes, Tris looks up to the man that broke her.

Smiling brightly, his teeth seem to sharpen in the harsh lighting, making him just that much more sinister. "Daughter," he says simply. Even the statement sounds like a threat, daring her to contradict him.

"Father," she whispers, flinching back as his hand brushes her cheek.

When she doesn't look up at him he snarls, grabbing her jaw and forcing her eyes to his. They are dead, and reflection of Tris' own as they revert to their old grey. Just emptiness, statue like in their unearthly beauty and alienness.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be visiting Brother?" Tris asks weakly.

Andrew let go off her chin, only to quick slap her across the face. The action drew a few heads and he quickly played it off, dragging Tris down the endless hallway until they were alone. "You don't speak unless spoke to," he growls. "Looks like we might have to retrain you."

Shrinking against the wall Tris pleaded. "No, please. I'll be good, I promise. I promise. No, please."

"Good…" he trails off. "As for your question, I can't just walk into your traitor of a brother's Faction. No," he thinks. "there are other ways."

Tris gulped. "How can I assist you, Sir?" was her timid question.

Turning toward his daughter, he took a moment to watch her squirm. "My, you have changed. I don't like it," he snarls, pricing her with a glare. "We will have to change that."

The next second Tris felt a sharp sting on her wrist which he pinned to the wall with his other hand. The dauntless knife in his hand just pierced the skin, enough to scar, but not to cause her to bleed out. A cry escaped Tris as the knife was pushed in a little further, coming dangerous close to a vein.

"Shh," said Andrew in an almost comforting tone. "You do what I say, and this doesn't have to go any further."

_'No, fight. He's hurt you so much. Listen and we will survive. Run, get help! Obey and we don't hurt.' _the internal battle raged within. Finally a victor was wrought and Skylar's body stiffened, looking up to her commander.

"Yes, Sir," she affirmed.

A true smile lit itself upon Andrews face, though it was full of malicious intent. "Perfect. Some things never change." Removing the knife from Skylar's arm her turned and motioned for her to follow him. The blood dripped down her arm, trickling off her fingers and onto the floor, leaving a trail of red that would go unnoticed in the darkness.

"We need to keep up the scene of a family reunion," he mutter to himself, making his way back to the open pit. "That slap has already raised suspicions."

Emerging back out at the pit, the two made their way over to an empty corner of the room. Far enough away that no one would hear them, while being close enough to not alert anyone that anything was amiss.

"I need you to break into Erudite," Andrew said suddenly, a smile smile directed to his daughter. Skylar however had no expression, she didn't seem capable in this state. "They are planning an uprising, the arrogant bastards, and we need to squash it at its base."

"How would I get into the compound?"

He huffed angrily. "We don't have time for stupid questions. You used to sneak into Dauntless, find a way!"

"Yes, Sir," Skylar answered.

"I need you to find your brother." Tris twitched. Skylar nodded. "You need to inform him to play along with me or there will be consequences." Andrew flashed the knife in his sleeve, before hiding it once more in the grey folds of fabric. "Do you think you can get the message across?"

"Yes, Sir," Skylar answered.

"I would have paid the brat a visit myself, but the Erudite are blocking abnegation from visiting. Smart," he admitted. "but irritating. Tell him to research the simulation serum, or at least steal the research for it as I doubt he could discover anything," he said.

"The simulation serum?" Tris asked "Sir," added Skylar respectfully.

Andrew looked at her with a suspicious eye. "Beatrice," he said seriously, looking straight into her unseeing eyes. "What did you get on your aptitude test?"

_'Nothing. Dauntless. Nothing. Abnegation. Factionless. Divergent. Nothing.'_

"I got Dauntless, Sir," Tris bluffed.

Andrew snarled quickly before controlling features to a loving smile. Grabbing her injured wrist he pulled her into a half hug while digging his thumb into the open wound. Skylar suppressed a gasp as he whispered. "Don't. Lie. To. Me," each word punctuated with him thumb giving slightly more pressure.

"Please, Sir," Skylar answered. "If you push much further I may pass out from blood loss," she explain shakily as a steady flow of blood pooled below her. "I'll do as you say, Sir."

Looking down, Andrew cursed and positioned her so she a blocked from view by his large body. "Stop bleeding!"

Skylar didn't know how to respond to that. She didn't have anything to staunch the flow and she wasn't given permission to leave. She coked her head to the side in sad confusion. She wanted to obey but she didn't know how.

Andrew sighed at Skylar's lack of social understanding. "I didn't mean. Ugh, forget it. Now answer me properly, what was your result?"

"Nothing, Sir," Skylar replied.

Andrew went to grab her again and Tris shrunk back holding up her hands to cover her face. "It's true, Sir. I don't fit in any Faction. I was told not to tell you. I'm not divergent I swear! I'm something different," Skylar pleaded out of character.

He paused, holding himself back when finding no deceit in her actions. "What are your symptoms?"

Calming down as the threat passed. "I can see through the serum. I still get the simulation, but I can see a silver lining of the room reminding me constantly that it's fake."

A large smirk spread itself over Andrew's lips. "You're immune. Perfect," he clapped his hands together hungrily. "In the event of a Dauntless uprising commanded by Erudite," he said casually. "You are to eliminate all threats. You're immunity means you can't be controlled… by them at least," he chuckled.

"But, Sir," Tris tried to protest.

"You will do as I say!" he hissed.

Tris shrunk back into Skylar. "Yes, Sir."

A hand taps Andrew on the shoulder and he spins around to find Four sending him a welcoming smile. "Good afternoon, I am Dauntless trainer Four. I'm here to check in on everyone and make sure everything is okay. Wouldn't want people getting too home sick, you know? It's best if families really have minimal contact."

The lie was obvious. The smile was fake. His tone was soaked in syrup, but his eyes clearly said, "Fuck off."

Andrews eyes we cold, but realisation spread across his features. "Well if it's isn't little Eaton. Such a shame you transferred to Dauntless, your father misses you dearly," he crooned.

A slight twitch could be seen in Tobias' brow. "Well, as the Abnegation leaders, both him and yourself should understand the whole Faction before Blood ideology. As Dauntless is important that we understand this. I guess Abnegation isn't as thorough with their rules these days," he said with a careless shrug. "You should hope Erudite doesn't get wind of this, I hear there is… unrest lately."

"Hmm," Andrew hummed, not rising to the obvious bait. "Four?" he asked off topic. "A nickname?"

Tobias nodded stiffly.

"Cute," Andrew sent him a shit eating grin. "So, _Four_, how has my daughter been? Has she been sticking to the rules?"

"She is ranked first. At this rate her opportunities in Dauntless are limitless," he replied, instantly forgetting his choice of words.

Something small lit up in Andrews ordinarily dull eyes. "Interesting," he murmured. "Good," he stated simply, then turning to Skylar. "Keep working hard. I expect you to finished at the top of your class a procure a government job." His words trailed off with an unspoken threat.

"But Father, I don't think I'm suited fo-" Tris tried.

"Nonsense," he waved off. "After all, we would never be able to see each other if you didn't. While it is Faction before Blood, it doesn't mean we have to be completely disconnected." Andrew feigned an expression of helpless longing.

_'Playing the victim!' _Tris hissed internally. _'Bastard!' _

"Well," Four interrupted. "It really does depend on how she ranks. I'm not allowed to say anything, but the second part of Dauntless initiation is completely different from the first stage. Stage one requires physical fitness, the second stage however is about mental strength," he informed casually. "If someone if has ever the slightest crack in their mindscape then they face failing," he finished with a glare.

A smirk flashed itself across his face. "I believe you will find Beatrice's mind to be more than satisfactory. After all, I gave her the same training regiment as your father did for you and you were ranked first if I recall correctly," he tapped a finger against his chin lightly. "Almost unnaturally better than your colleagues," he hinted.

Tobias twitched again. "I guess you could say I was somewhat of an anomaly," he admitted. "Well, I really should be going and checking on the rest of the initiates," he slowly backed away before making a hasty exit.

"And here I was thinking he had grown some balls," Andrew chucked as Tobias made his escape. "Pity."

Tris remained silent. She understood why he had left. A mix of self preservation and knowledge that nothing could be changed. The longer he hung around the harder Andrew would fight back and stay. Best to retreat and help to fix the minimal damage that was done. Minimal however being a relative term. It could be much worse, but it was still shit.

"For fuck's sake," the Abnegation leader hissed as another group made their way over to them. "Act normal!" he quickly commanded.

Skylar was confused. What did he classify as normal? Stoic? Like Abnegation? Friendly? Cold and Indifferent? She didn't know. She sent him a quick look of confusion and opted for her usual emotionless mask.

A friendly selfless smile graced itself upon Andrew's face as they arrived. It was at times like this Tris almost believed that her father did have a sliver of good left in him. The smile on his face seemed too real and genuine, but a quick glance at his eye reveal their indifference. His mask was fool proof, enough to fool most, but the layer beneath was like corrosive acid.

A small, autumn dressed family crowded around the difunctional family as a small group of blue trailed behind reluctantly and uncertainly. "Skylar!" a loud voice yelled as Colm's friend wrapped herself happily around the aforementioned girl. It seemed that the only greeting Amity knew were hugs, a notion both Tris and Skylar were uncomfortable with. "How ya been?" he question went unanswered.

"So you're Skylar?" asked a bird like woman with red hair. Crows feet were prominent around her eyes, only becoming bolder as she smiled warmly. "Coleman and Cora haven't stopped talking about ya." She beamed even brighter, something with Tris didn't think was possible.

"You seem to have made a big impression," Andrew muttered disapprovingly in her ear, inaudible to the rest of the group. "Stay in the shadows. Don't draw attention to yourself in the future."Skylar nodded and sent the woman a strained smile.

Realisation flickered across her face as she held out a hand to Andrew. "I haven't introduced myself. Silly me," she admonished herself with yet another smile. "I'm Amba, Coleman's mother."

"Pleasure," he gave her a somewhat strained smile. "I'm Beatrice's father, Andrew."

Amba looked confused. "Beatrice? Oh, Skylar. I wasn't aware she changed her name. Anyway," she shook off. "You've done a wonderful job of raise the girl if all reports and compliments of her are true," she winked.

"That's the way I trained her," he replied with an arrogant smirk. He was proud of his work. Given an opportunity he would not hesitate to boast, especially as he couldn't fully disclose his 'Art'.

The Amity groups smiles faded for a moment at the strange use of words. "Um, right," she mutter awkwardly, turning to Tris. "So, your real name is Beatrice? It's beautiful honey, why did ya change it?"

"Well, I don't know. Beatrice isn't a dauntless name, so I thought I'd change it." _'I needed a change. An acknowledgement that I wasn't that girl anymore. The defenceless girl ruled by her father. I wanted to be free, and it backfired on me.'_

She laughed, a carefree laugh that made Tris inexplicably jealous. "You're just like Coleman. Your name doesn't change you. It just a name after all."

_'If only that was true.' _

"In any case, It was nice meeting ya. Thanks for looking after my boy. I have a feelin' he wouldn't be here without ya," she said sincerely. Taking a step forward she gently embrace Tris, who despite the careful movements, still flinched.

Amba frowned as she stepped back. Seeing his mother's concern he softly grasped her by the elbow and steered her away. "I don't think she is okay," she muttered, just in hearing distance of the now smaller group. "There is blood dripping down the poor girl's hand!"

"Mother, it's fine. Leave it be," Colm whispered back harshly, choosing to ignore the slight detail for now. There would be time for questions later.

"Look at her father! He's sweatin' like a whore in a church!"

"Ma!" the words trailed off into the distance.

Will looked like he was holding back his laugh, while Tris felt herself paling. Her father did not look happy and somehow she knew his own failed words would end up being blamed as her fault.

"Hey Skylar," Will said, scratching the back off his head awkwardly. "I know we haven't spoken much, but we followed Colm over here and you looked kinda lonely so I thought I'd come and say hi. If that's alright I mean. I can leave," he rambled.

Reaching out, Tris pulled his hand away from his head where she was afraid he would scratch it to the point of bleeding. _'Protect…' _"It's fine, Will." It wasn't. If her father's face was anything to go by at least.

"I can't believe you're friends with a _Stiff, _Will. have you no pride?" a female in blue sneered to her younger brother.

"And here I mistook you for an Erudite," Tris couldn't help blurting suddenly, a sneer on her own face. "That is unless you are colour blind. However I'm sure the style of clothing should have been enough to give it away."

Will coughed awkwardly and went to grab his neck again, only being stopped by Tris' unwilling grasp. She seemed shocked by her own movement, but was unwilling to allow it to continue.

"Sorry, nervous habit," he offered quietly as an explanation. "Please forgive my sister, Cara. I don't know what's gotten into her."

"And you," Cara turned to the only Abnegation in the room, ignoring pervious conversation. "An Abnegation council leader, here in Dauntless? Aren't you meant to be giving food the factionless you thieving bastard! Pretty selfish of you to be visiting."

Andrew let out a tired sigh. "Admittedly, it is selfish of me, but I'm only human."

_'Not likely,' _Tris thought before retreating into the recesses of her mind.

"I can't say I understand whatever lies that have been told to you, but we are here if you ever need anything," he smiled condescendingly. "But yes, I am being selfish today. I couldn't help it," he exhaled. "I wanted to see my son as well, but Erudite has banned Abnegation from stepping foot into their compound, even for visiting day."

Will gasped, "Thats terrible!" He himself was feeling nauseous today wonder if his sibling or parents would show up, but the knowledge that they could not visit at all was a much greater evil.

"Oh please. Don't buy into this happy-go-lucky do-gooder. I saw Abnegation visiting the compound as I left," she lied.

"You are mistaken," he replied simply, though his skin was hot and his hands clenched into fists.

The Erudite girl would not let up. She took a step towards the already provoked man, making sure to get up in his face. "You're up to something. No one is that selfless, certainly not your grubby little faction."

With a feral snarl Andrew snapped his fingers, bring Skylar to attention. "Beatrice please remove this girl from my personal space."

Skylar nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"Woah," Will held his hands up as Skylar took a step forward. "Back off, Skylar. You're not touching my sister," he said carefully. He wasn't afraid of the girl in front of him, however, he was wary. She had beaten him in their fight together with relative ease after all.

Taking a quick step around the slower boy, Tris paid him little attention and picked Cara up by the shoulders. To all outsiders, the image of the smaller girl easily lifting the older Erudite was both concerning and comical. There was, however, no humour in her next movement as she threw the load in her hands across the room.

Cara all but screamed as she was hurled at the floor, a good few meters away from her previous position. "What the fuck, Skylar!?" came her brother's loud voice as she gingerly sat up, cradling her skinned shoulder. Will, quickly ran over to her side, checking her over for any major injuries. She was in shock, she knew she was out of the line, but some Dauntless Stiff had just fucking chucked her like a sack of potatoes!

"You don't have an sense of subtly, do you?" Andrew breathed in her ear, before nudging her along. Again, numerous heads turned their way from not only the two previous outbursts, but the now noticeable trail of blood that flowed from her wrist. She quickly hid it under her hem of her shirt, but it only made it more obvious as the red liquid pooled, staining the shirt and drawing the eye.

Skylar didn't understand what she had done wrong. She had followed orders, right? She removed the offending female from her Father's person as commanded. Why did Will yell at her? Why did people stare at her with their judgemental eyes? Sir seemed unhappy. She didn't like it when Sir was unhappy. He hurt her when he was unhappy.

"I'm sorry, Sir," she whispered. She wasn't sure what about exactly, but she was sorry anyway.

Andrew paced back and forwards in front of her, running a hand through his once perfectly sculpted hair. Far more vain than the average Abnegation, but he could get away with it as a leader. "You're stunt cost us the little time we had left," he muttered to her.

_'Thank god. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.' _

"Fuck!" he cursed, suddenly pining his daughter against the wall. "If you could be useful for just once in your life the time is now!" he hissed. "Remember, find Caleb, get him to research the stimulation serum. Also, I expect you to rank first at the end of the initiation, where you will then enter the highest government possession possible in order to help accumulate more power," he pause for a moment in though, although he did not let go of the blonde in his hands. "And if you happen to see a woman named Jeanine Matthews," he added finally. "make sure she receives this." He pressed the dauntless knife he used earlier into Tris' side pocket. "Preferably in the stomach or some other area containing a vital organ."

Without another words he silently walked away.

**~.~.~**

Tris made a quick stop off at the dormitory, though she didn't dare stay lest she be mobbed with questions. She knew her family wasn't normal for obvious reasons, and that showed today. Andrew had all but air their dirty laundry in the middle of the Dauntless pit.

Slipping her good hand through a small slit she had created in her mattress, she quickly grabbed the stolen loot of medical supplies she had taken a day earlier. She understood how that could seem… immoral, but you have to strike when the opportunity presents itself. Who leaves the medical ward empty anyway? Okay, maybe the entirety of the medical staff had been working on a medical emergency in the E.R, but that's not the point.

A log like leg swung down from the bed above hers and Tris only just managed to jump out of the way. "Oh, sorry Skylar. Didn't see you there," Al rumbled.

_'I was hoping you wouldn't'_

"I'm fine,' she waved away. _'Anyone whoever says they are fine, are definitely not fine.' "_I was just leaving, so…" she trailed off, taking a few steps back in the silence.

"Hey, you're bleeding!" he says, pointing to the red stain on her shirt. "Here let me help you!" he states happily, jumping off the bed and walking over to the frozen girl. "I'm always getting beaten up in my fights lately, so the nurse has been teaching me how to fix myself up 'cause I'm such a nuisance and all," he chuckled.

"Really, Al it's fine. I'll take care of it."

"No, I insist." he held up her wrist for closer inspection. "Damn, Sky. That's no training wound…" his eyes trailed up to her face. He gently brushed a finger over the flowering bruise on her cheek, his smile faltering. "Come on," he tenderly dragged her by the upper arm into the nearby shower area.

It had been many hours since the initiates allocated shower time, so luckily the area was nice a dry. "Here, sit down," he directed towards the shower area. "It's easier to wash away any mess we make over there."

Not bothering to protest, Tris slid down the wall and held her trickling arm over the drain. The white tiles surrounding turned pink from splash back as Al hurried around the room grabbing the meager supplies that were left around.

Squatting down in front of Tris, he held out an icepack, motioning for he to place it on her cheek. She did so with a wince as the cold only intensified the pain. However, the area eventually numbed, the pain receding until further notice.

"I don't have anything to clean out the wound with," Al fretted.

"It was a clean blade. If you could just dress it please. It can be rather difficult with one hand," Tris spoke up.

Al pulled the sleeve of her shirt exposing the bloody laceration. The blood flow had drastically slowed over the last half hour, most of the area looking far worst than it was from all the dried blood. "Shit," he hissed as he inspected the damage. Pulling out a damp cloth, he quietly cleaned the area, marvelling as Tris did not flinch.

As he made his way further up the arm, he stumbled across another wound he had not seen under the blood. A thin, silver line curved it's way around the wrist and stretched just to the top of her hand, linking up with more which disappeared further up her sleeve.

"Theses aren't tattoos, are they Skylar." It wasn't a question, but a statement. "How do you handle it?" he whispered. Looking over to Tris' tears filled his eyes. "Doesn't think make you want to give up?"

"Are you suggesting I do?" she asked rather coldly. She sighed as Al rapidly shook his head in denial, too scared to speak. "Scars already mar my body by his hand, I refuse to give him the satisfaction of my death as well. If I die, it will be doing something I love, not wallowing in depression," she spat.

From then on Al worked in thoughtful silence, diligently wrapping the wound multiple times as the blood started to soak through.

"I regret it you know," Al said once he was finished. "I still think about it everyday. I was a coward, I ran away and left you." He stood up, dusting himself off and offering Tris a hand up. She didn't take it. Not to snub him, but she couldn't rely on others.

Al did not look perturbed by her movement, rather understanding, sympathetic. "It's why I joined Dauntless. My parents were already pushing me towards it, but I never would join another faction on their say." He took a deep breath. "I never want to be in that situation again. Where I am powerless. I want to protect others. You understand?"

Tris nodded.

He smiled, it was a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. "I'll clean up here. You go," he said, his eyes already scanning the bloody floor.

"Thank you, Al," she said quietly making her way over to the doorway. "You should know, I forgive you. I won't forget, but I forgive you," she whispered and left the room.

"That's enough. That's all I need," Al said to the empty room.

**~.~.~**

Tris wasn't quite sure where her feet were leading her. The winding corridors of the compound were enough to lose even the oldest of Dauntless. It was both a great and terrible defence system. If Dauntless didn't even know it's own lay out, the enemy certainly never would. Navigating was based on pure gut instinct and Tris was sure more than a few initiates has lost themselves in the ghostly halls.

Water and condensation could be seen built up on the surrounding surfaces, leisurely sliding down the slanted wall and ceilings. Tris couldn't help but follow the shadowed droplets as they led her into the unknown.

The silence soon gives way to rushing water as Tris continues to follow down the pathway. It is dark here. Blue lights were placed sporadically and heavily spaced apart leaving great areas of solid darkness. The lone girl found it eerie and yet oddly comforting.

After what felt like hours of travel, the path broke out into an open area. Here there appeared to be no ceiling, just darkness until tiny bulbs of light could be seen hundreds of meters above. She was in the chasm.

And here everyone had believed that there was noway down. No one had probably ever bothered to follow the catacombs, merely sticking to the main routes and well known rooms. _'Such a shame,' _ she thought as she stared around at the beautiful but neglected area.

Below her was a short waterfall, creating a serene pool of churning water as it carved itself smoothly into the stone. The excess water would build up and tip over the top of the lip, falling down into a white water river. There was no plants surrounding the oasis. There were no cobwebs or signs of life. It was blissfully empty, only water, rock and herself intruding on the area.

Walking over to edge of the narrow ledge, Tris stared down into the pooling water. She was stuck by it's surprising clarity, even the ripples on the surface did not distort the view. It was deep, very deep. Years of flowing water had worn down the tough stone. How deep, Tris wasn't exactly sure, but it looked to be at least ten or so meters.

Tris sat down, allowing her legs to swing freely over the edge, the tip of her boot just bobbing under the water.

Protect, avoid, survive. It had been her mantra for so long, but now it was conflicted. Before she hadn't had anyone she wanted to particularly save, therefore if the need be, survive came first. But now with the reintroduction of Tobias and dare she say friends, the order had gone completely out of whack. Would she protect others if it meant she might not survive?

And what of Andrew? Sneak into Erudite? It was suicide! However she had too. The order was given, it was as if a supernatural force compelled her.

_'No, you don't! Fight it!' _a voice whispered.

_'Do as he says,'_ whispers another. _'It's not that bad. No one you love is in danger, so you don't need to worry about protection, just survive.'_

_'What about avoid?'_

_'That compromises survive…' _another voice rebutted.

Tris groaned, laying her head heavily in her hands and closing her eyes. "It's true. I'm in-fucking-sane."

_'And you wouldn't have it any other way…'_

Tris raise an eyebrow in a rare show of amusement. "At least the voices in my head have a sense of humour."

**~.~.~**

**AN: Y'all are so bloody nice it's insane. I blush every time I read one of your comments. It's a small wonder you don't all spontaneously explode into rainbows and rabbits and other fluffy shit. :3**

**My story is now over 50k words! FUCK YES! Sorry, had to get that out of my system. That is a _huge _accomplishment for me. *wifi-high five* to every reader. **

**I wanted Colm and Cora to have a close names (came from the same faction and all), but I forgot that Will's sister was named Cara… yeah, thats a lot of names that are suspiciously close. I hope it's alright and besides, I don't think I'm ever going to mention Cara again, so yeah. Hope it's not too confusing! Let me know if any of y'all get confused and I can create a small legend or something at the beginning of the next AN, but I think everyone will be okay. **

**I hope everyone has a fantastic christmas that I know you all deserve! **

**If you want so give me a present back, give me a *High Five* in a review! ;) **

***yes, shameless pleading. Deal with it***

**3**

**See ya next chapter, I hope!  
~ Mercy**


	12. Chapter 12: Truthful Lies

**AN: So, so sorry guys for the wait. I had a plan and was going to update on new years, but then my sister stole Divergent and took it to her mum's house and only just returned yesterday. Now, you might think not having the book wouldn't affect my story, but I need it for research, making sure I stick to the facts and the story line. **

**Not sure how I feel about this chapter, but lets go with it. **

**Again, you have all made me so happy with your feedback. Is it sad I kinda fangirl over my fans? :p (Wait, can I call you fans? Thats sounds kinda arrogant… Um, sorry?) **

**Anyway, thank you for taking the time and effort to give me your constructive criticism and for showing your appreciation. It means the world to me. **

**And yeah, I know my weakness is going back and editing my writing… it's just so boring. ;-;**

**And thanks Nicola Aka Divergentxox61102 for your lovely words and support! **

**I wish I could mention all the lovely guest readers and on going supporters (Lynda, Divergent Kitty, Jemmie, TheIntelligentDauntless, Theolympiangames, wellthen44 etc.) but I'm afraid my author note would go on for pages! **

**I just hope you all know that I do read your comments and smile after each and every one. **

**Now look what you did! I'm going all sappy. Onto the story!**

**~.~.~**

**Chapter 12 (Truthful Lies)**

The final ranks. That's all anyone can talk about. Speculation about who is ranking where is all anyone can think about as they sit around the dinner table waiting to be let out and discover their fate.

Tris thought it was stupid. Harsh, but true.

The ranking tally board had been up just hours earlier and now it was gone, taken to be reconsidered. However, to those at the bottom of the board, their fate was practically sealed. If you were at the bottom, you knew you were going to be at the bottom. Sure, minor adjustments could be made, but it was what it was. Besides, worrying about something you could do nothing further to prevent was pointless. There were no last minute sessions to prove yourself, it was done. Over.

Everyone was huddled together at the same bench, as if their combined force would hold of the anxiety they were all feeling. Even Peter and Edward were sitting next each other silently without a 'manly' pissing match.

Myra, who would have the most reason to worry, was sitting quite calmly on the other side of her boyfriend, her small hand being cradled in his. She had been ranked last every single day, never winning a match, but looking as confident as ever. Tris had to admire that, whether it was guts, or a insane belief that she would pass, it was convincing.

Soundlessly, Tris slipped into her usual spot beside Colm, inwardly smiling as no one noticed her sudden presence.

"What do you mean you weren't allowed a dog!" Christina demands, a strange fire in her eyes.

For once, Tris was thankful for Christina's loud, Candor nature. It was the perfect, eye catching distraction.

"What about you, Colm?" asked Christina when Will refused to bow to her opinion. "Do they let you have dogs in Amity?"

"Sure," he shrugged, taking a larger bite of his Dauntless cake before speaking. God, he loved Dauntless food. "We had sheep dogs to help out on the farm. Highly intelligent beasts," he praised. "If animals were split into factions, they would definitely be Erudite."

Will made a face. "Nah, they would be Amity. They're far to affectionate and slobbery to be Erudite," he announced with a haughty look, but cheeky grin.

"Are you saying I'm slobbery?" claimed Colm, with an obviously fake anger.

Will just laughed. "I'm saying you _were _slobbery. You're dauntless now."

"Heh, if I get through," he answered dismally.

_'Protect…'_

"You will be okay," Tris said firmly, startling the group. _'I'll make sure you are okay. Protect.'_

"Well," said Christina, thoroughly searching Tris' face. "She genuinely believes you will be fine, so… You're golden," she smiled.

"Just because Skylar says?" asked Al from across the table.

"Uh, yeah. Sky has been through hell and back. She knows her shit."

_'Hell and back?' _Tris pondered worryingly. _'What does she know? Who told her?'_

_'She doesn't know anything… it's only suspicions.'_

_'It's not like we hid our identity. All we did was change the name.' _

_"S-"_

_'Does no one remember the choosing ceremony?' _A voice complained exasperatedly._'It was pretty damn dramatic when a faction leader's two children both left.' _

_"-lar." _

_'Even so, identity does not explain the past.'_

_'But physical evidence does,' _another voice chimed with a giggle before fading away.

"Jesus, Sky," Colm says, shaking said girl by the shoulders as both her eyes slowly come into focus. "You're the one who has to worry least about ranks, no need to fade out on us," he jokes, trying to throw the rest of the table off the scent. "They were just asking about how you got the bruise on your cheek." His eyes flick to the wound, hoping Tris has a believable excuse.

"It's just a training wound," say Tris loud enough so the rest of the group can hear, knowing that they were listening with rapt attention.

"You're lying," Christina immediately calls out, watching Tris steadily. Colm goes to back Tris up when she interrupts. "You see that?" she asks the group.

They all shake their head and look at their resident former Candor in confusion. "She's not moving," she answers when no one understands. "Not even a millimeter."

Tris leans back and crosses her arms. "What does me not moving have to do with anything?"

"It's proven that not moving is a primitive sign of a neurological 'fight,' rather than the 'flight,' response, as the body positions and readies itself for possible confrontation," she explains. "When you speak and engage in normal conversation, it is natural to move your body around in subtle, relaxed, and, for the most part, unconscious movements. So if you observe a rigid, catatonic stance devoid of movement, it is often a huge warning sign that something is off."

Will looks at Christina with sudden awe.

"You also took a defensive stance when I called you out," adds Christina. Giving the now very troubled girl another once over she said simply, "And training bruises aren't shaped like hand prints."

_'Rather reminiscent of Four, wouldn't you say?' _

_'Yeah,'_ a voice agrees. _'The bruise she left on his face that day after training…' _

Tris' eyes widened. '_I'm as bad as Andrew.' _

_'Not at all… Just similar.' _If the voice could smile it would be._ 'You are blood, after all.'_

"Whatever, I'll lay off!" Christina pouts when Al and Colm come to her defence in the silence she left. Tris sent a quick smile to both of them, almost a flash with how quick it passed. "Anyway, back to the dogs, I don't think they fit into any category. They are dogs."

"Yeah, they got into multiple factions. Amity, for their loving nature," says Colm.

"Dauntless, for their suicidalness," Christina announces, thinking of the time her pitbull was convinced he could fly and jumped off the top of the stairs. Luckily he had a thick skull and was fine. _'Chunker, the idiot,' _she thinks fondly.

"Erudite, for their intelligence," admits Al.

"And that's it," Christina proclaims.

Will frowns. "What about Abnegation? You know, selfless for their masters? Or Candor?"

Christina snorts. "Maybe your dream dog. Chunker once stole an entire roast of the counter when we left it to cool. The bloody dog wouldn't even admit to his thievery when he was throwing it all up later from over eating. He just glared at us like it was our fault," she laughed loudly, while everyone else shared disgusted expressions.

"Still, that's three factions. Is that even possible?"

Christina narrows her eyes when Tris scratches the back of her hand.

"Doesn't matter anyway. Dogs are kinda of ruined for me now," states Christina dejectedly.

Will also looks put down. "After the aptitude test you mean?" The table goes silent. "I know we aren't meant to talk about it, but…"

"Yeah, you all had to kill it as well, right?"

Al nods and Tris makes sure to move as she lies.

However, Christina glares again. "You sure do like lying, Skylar."

"What did I do this time!" Tris growls frustratedly, placing both her hands on the table.

"You fidgeted."

He hated to admit it, but Al spoke up. "Candor learn all about reading body language and detecting lies. Fidgeting is a sign of lying."

"So what can I do?" Tris complains. "I can't move or stay still!"

"Not lie," mutters Christina under her breath.

Al held his hands up, trying to control the situation. "It has to look normal, natural. Before the fight response took over and made it obvious you were lying. Your body then adjusted to the mistake next time and the unnatural fidgeting gave you away."

_'You can beat them,' _sings a voice.

Another giggles._ 'They know when you lie.' _

_'Then I'll just have to tell the truth,' _replies Skylar with sly thought, slipping into the forefront of Tris' mind.

The change is almost physical. Light blue eyes, give way to grey and all movement of the body ceases. Colm only hold himself from checking for a pulse when her eyelids blink lazily. "You're right. I didn't kill the dog." _Truth. _"I let it kill the girl."Eyes widen all around the table.

"Then how did you get Dauntless if you let it happen?" asked Will, as equally suspicious as Christina.

"I didn't." _Truth. _This gets another set of shocked looks. If anyone among the transfer initiates represented Dauntless it was Tris.

"But you chose Dauntless anyway?" asked Christina demurely. "Why?"

Both Colm and Al stay silent, knowing her reasons in their own way. There was no way to direct or protest at the movement of the conversation so they opted to stay out of it.

_'No way to lie. You're trapped.'_

"Freedom," Skylar says evenly. "I wasn't Abnegation." _Truth. _"I wasn't going to stay there."

Will's eyes light up. "Erudite," he assumes simply with a nod. "No Abnegation would transfer to Erudite or vice versa." He winces as he remembers Tris' brother. "Well, usually."

With a shrug, Tris neither confirms nor denies the accusation, easily escaping the question. '_People believe what they want to believe.'_

**~.~.~**

"Huh," is all Colm says as he stares at the board. "I came eighth?!" he screeched as the results finally sunk in.

1\. Skylar

2\. Edward

3\. Peter

4\. Will

5\. Molly

6\. Christina

7\. Drew

8\. Colm

9\. Al

10\. Myra

Tris gave him a congratulatory slap on the back as his features sank into a happy glow. "Well done, Coleman," she teased. He gave no reaction, too happy to care. "Your family would be proud."

A large shadow suddenly descends on the group as Eric comes to stand in front of the board. Great. "Now most of you, I wouldn't start celebrating just yet. As you have all been told, dauntless-born and transfer scores are mixed for the cuts. Five will be taken. It could be mixed or all five could even come from the transfers."

"Doesn't that mean all five could come from the dauntless born?" Tris called out, trying to encourage Colm next to her who suddenly looked down trodden.

Turning to the top ranked initiate he said, "Trust me, that's not something that will happen."

_'As cheerful as ever Eric.' _

"Yes, let it be known transfers, if you are ranked 6th or below. You. Are. Not. Safe," he finished with an arrogant grin.

_'You. Are. A. Dick,'_ Tris mocked back under her breath at the same time. As if sensing the offence, he turned and scowled at the innocent faced Tris. Candor might be human lie detectors, but Erudite and former could be annoyingly perceptive.

"We will announce the cuts tomorrow," Tobias announces, barging into the conversation before it could get heated. "Take this like Dauntless and don't come complaining to us about your ranks. Complaints will only serve to lower them," he threatened. Both Drew and Molly took a step back to Peter who stood there without expression. Tris expected him to be raving and ranting, but nothing. He was still as a statue.

"Third," he suddenly hisses. He doesn't seem aware that it was said out loud. "Second, I could handle, but third?" his hands clench. "This will not do…" he stalks out of the room.

"Is it just me, or is Peter creepier than usually?" asks Colm.

**~.~.~**

That night, just over half of the initiates have trouble falling asleep. They worry for themselves and each other, Tris included. She was obviously safe, but Colm wasn't. The idea of him leaving had not occurred to her until now, and it was a distressing thought.

Tris wasn't sure why she was drawn to Colm. Originally she had found him weak, the small Amity on the train, crying as he refused to jump. She had helped him, not out of some deep rooted friendship or obligation, but simply she didn't want him to suffer unnecessarily. _'Protect.' _

It was the sole, unselfish component of her motto. The only part they would make her abnegation if not for her Sunderance.

That was what she called herself. She was not Divergent, she was not part of a faction, she was Sunderance, severed from the rest of society. A lone soul amongst a sea of sheep, each following a separate master to which she felt no allegiance. The cause? She was unsure. From what Tori had hinted at, she had never seen anyone like her. Whether it was a result of her upbringing or nature, no one knew. No one could know.

However, the list of people who did know was growing. Tori, her father and Tobias suspected. Both Al and Colm knew of her father's… methods and she was sure many more we also suspicious.

"I should have chosen Amity," she sighed into the darkness, turning over in her bed and facing the open emptiness. _'At least they weren't so nosy.' _

_'You wouldn't fit in anywhere.'_

A giggle sounded in Tris' mind. _'Your Sunderance as you have called it, prevents that.' _

_'Who are you?' _Tris demanded. She was crazy she knew that, but the voices seemed so real, she had to ask.

_'We are you Silly! Your soul,' _one twinkled.

_'Your conscience,' _another stated solemnly.

_'Your escape,' _a final one hissed. _'We are you and you are us.'_

"I have serious issues," Tris hissed, tossing once more and attempting to tune out the voice.

_'Tris… You can't ignore yourself.'_

She could damn well try. She place her pillow over her ears.

_'We are in your head. A pillow won't do any good.'_

_'Best to just give in now,' _another added.

"Piss off. I'm trying to sleep."

_'You should just listen to us, after all we are you, so really, it's listening to yourself.' _

_'The logic is flawless,' another agreed._

_"What is it you want?" Tris whispered angrily. _

_'Want?'_

_'Control, perhaps.' _

_'I so rarely ever get let out,' _one drawled.

_'At least you do get let out!'_

_'You enforce those damned morals! What good are they?!' _the drawling voice growled back.

"Headache. Stop, please. No more," Tris moaned, thrashing slightly against the thin bed frame.

_'You're lucky it's wearing off…'_

_"Wait, what?" _Tris murmured inaudibly.

_'I'll miss you! I mean me? I'm confused.'_

_'Remember, _Tris, _you might not hear us, but we are always there.' _

_'Always watching,' _the voices trailed off, falling into silence.

Sitting up suddenly, Tris held her head in her hands as she tried to evaluate what just happened. "A dream. It was just a dream," she muttered. _'It had to have been.' _

No voice interrupted her or replied. Her mind was blissfully silent. Her own, though she couldn't help but feel a strange presence still lurked there, hungry in the shadows.

Shaking herself from her from her self-induced haze, Tris swung her legs over the side of the bed, letting them lay heavily on the hard concrete. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a menacing glint in the darkness, familiar, yet different.

Tris felt a desperate sense of dread creep up her spine as it moved towards her. The silver reflection suddenly made a sharp dive, and Tris jumped from her bed, following the movement. Her body abruptly collided with another and a loud scream could be heard though the night.

She could feel the warm body scramble beneath her after falling ungracefully on top of the attacker. Reaching out, she immediately grabbed a sizeable clump of hair as a deep voice curse under their breath. The hair gave way under the the massive strain and a tuff was painfully ripped from it's owner's skull.

"Somebody get the lights!" a voice shouted.

A few seconds of hasty scrambling and the room is illuminated.

Tris has to shield her eyes for a moment from the harsh glare before glancing around the disrupted room. One bunk down, on the floor lies Edward with a butter knife sticking out of the gap between his shoulder and chest. A quick scan off the room confirms her suspicions. Black strands of hair lay strewn across the floor and the only empty bunk is Peter's.

Blood rapidly cascades down the bleeding boy's shoulder as he smothers his screams. Pools of water however cannot help themselves but gather in the corner of his eyes. He is pale, so very pale. His skin turning almost as grey as the metallic knife that protrudes from his body.

Myra, seeing Edwards pain, screams and collapses in a dead faint, her crumpling body luckily landing on the bed where she sat. It was as if that scream set of a mad panic, the room bursting into motion. Some screamed, others simple yelled and some ran from the room, hopefully to get help.

"That was meant for me," Tris whispered to herself. It had come towards her, she knew that. She pushed him away, he fell. Onto Edward. "My fault."

Edward began to wail as everyone merely watched in horror. Kneeling down, gentle Tris picked up his head and placed it in her lap. "Be still. You will only make your heart pump the blood out faster," she commanded calmly.

"It hurts," he howls. "It hurts!"

"I know. Shhhh. Breath through the pain," she replies robotically. Looking around the room Tris barks at a frozen figure, "Christina, pass me that pillow!"

Doing as told, she throws a pillow over to Tris before retreating. All the blood, it looked like a horror story. The crimson fluid had already soaked his entire shirt and was now being absorbed into Tris' own clothes.

"This is going to hurt a tad," Tris warned before apply pressure to the pillow around the knife.

This time, a scream does emerge from Edward as he thrashes and writhes from the agony. "Just pull it out! Get it out! Get it out Get it out!" he sobs.

"You can't. It will make it worse," explains a dauntless-born boy as he come to kneel along side Tris. Pulling out another pillow, he layers that over the previous one and takes over applying pressure.

"It hurts," Edward repeats in his crazed state.

Tris carded her fingers through his hair, hoping he would find some minor relief from the action. "You will be okay. A nasty scar, but you will live," she says with the utmost confidence. After all, she had survived a much deeper stab to the heart. "Don't think of the pain, find something and focus on it. You could think of my fingers slipping through your hair, or watch the spider in the corner of the room spin it's web," she points out and indeed his eyes follow her motion. "You were Erudite. Think about the facts and the formula of it's structure. The complexity of arthropods despite their small stature and relative small intelligence," she rambled in a hush.

Slowly, Edward's wails died down to silent sobs as he stared desperately as the spider. As if it was his life line, and in a way, it was.

A nurse eventually barged into the room, taking in the scene with a surprising amount of indifference. The again, it _was _Dauntless. Brutality such as this was probably a common occurrence. A stretcher was brought out for him along with Myra as they were both carried off. Tris could not move away. She just stared down her bloody hands. "My fault. This blood was meant to be mine."

**~.~.~**

It was a somber morning that followed. Thrice that of the dreadful waiting period that proceeded unveiling of the ranks. The initiates all congregated in small groups, quietly talking amongst themselves. The dormitory was usually loud, full of expression and life, but now it was dead, taken away like Edward.

Tris stood abruptly. She couldn't be in that room anymore, it was stifling. She had been pretending to take a nap for a couple of hours now, avoiding talking with the others that surrounded her. She just had to be out, away from all of _this. _

Her body cracked as it moved, groaning from the hours of stiff disuse. Colm's eyes flicked to hers across the room from where he sat with Will's group. _'Do you want me to come with you?'_ he mouthed.

Her head shook. 'I'm fine.' Fine. She had to be.

It was nothing to get worked up about. This was Dauntless, it was time to act the name. _'It's not like he's going to die,' _Tris reasoned, heading out of the room. _'One itty bitty stab wound wound change your life…' _

Tris' immersion in her thoughts caused her to run into a large immovable object. "Woah, hey," exclaimed the body, steading the girl in his hands. "We are all a little dazed right now, but be careful. Wouldn't want you ruining your pretty face."

Looking up, she said, "It's you."

He grinned back down at her, flashing a confident grin. "Yep, it's me. Always has been, always will be."

"Right," Tris replied dryly. Taking a step back she made to move around him, but stopped herself. "Thanks for helping out last night. Everyone else just froze."

"You didn't," he pointed out. "That's good instincts."

Tris scoffed, "Good practice," she muttered quietly to herself.

"They'll get used to it eventually. Even the other Dauntless born are shaken up. We are expected to live fearlessly, but never taught how to handle fear."

"It's not something that can be taught. Besides, being fearless is stupid. If you don't fear, you aren't cautious and that _will _get you killed," Tris replied. "Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks." She stepped away and out into the hallway.

"Wait up!" he called out, running up and coming into step with Tris' long strides. "What's your hurry?"

Tris didn't respond. Maybe if she was silent the guys would take a hint and leave.

"Not a big talker, eh? That's okay, you never used to talk much. Not unless it was with Tobias."

Tris snapped her head around to stare at him, abruptly stopping in the hall. "What did you say?"

"Aw, come on Tris. Don't tell me you forgot me! I'm too handsome to be forgotten!" he fake cried, latching onto the front of her shirt in mock desperation.

She pushed him off and look at him searchingly. "How do you know me by that name?"

"Easy, Tiger." He held his hands up in submission. "I still can't believe you don't remember me," he mourned under his breath. "I'm Uriah."

Tris' face remains impassive.

"Aw, come on!" He huffs. "Uriah. You know me. I lent you my jacket that one time," he crosses his arms and looks off forlornly. "You used me and left me." he gasps, a cheeky smile quirking his lips.

A spark of realisation sets alight in Tris. "You called me old," she remembers almost fondly.

"Actually, I called both yourself and Tobias an old married couple, but whatever floats your boat. I still have that bruise you know," he says, rubbing his arm as if to relieve the pain of the ghost wound.

"Mmhm," hums Tris noncommittally, taking off down the hall once more. The conversation was over, at least for her part apparently.

Uriah throws up his hands in exasperation. "You know what? Whatever. I see when I'm not wanted," he complains, looking hopefully that Tris might disagree. When she simple keeps walking he just yells louder. "I'll see you around Tris!"

"Don't call me that!" she yells back turning around a corner and out of view.

Waving goodbye enthusiastically, Uriah replies, "Sure Tris! Whatever you say." He pauses for a moment. "By the way, if you ever want to get in my clothes again, you just have to ask!"

"Shut up!" came the distant reply.

**~.~.~**

He was gone. Only a day before he had been lively and had his whole Dauntless life ahead of him and now… Edward was gone.

No, literally. Gone. Poof.

"For someone who was shot yesterday he seems to have vanished quite effectively," Tris mumbles into the empty room. "It would be just like Dauntless to send him away just for getting stabbed."

The room was eerie and held the overbearing scent of industrial cleaner. The white sheets were still crinkled from use and blood could be seen stained on it's once pure material.

"Tris," hissed a voice and she jumped. Had the voices come back?

"Tris," it hissed again. Looking over she noticed an evanescent shadow flicker from the crack of a parted door.

Taking a cautious step froward, she prepared herself for what was to come. Just as he hand reached for the doorknob another shot out and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her through the now open door and into the darkness. "Jesus, you take forever to walk," the person complained.

Pulling her wrist free she growled. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Just to talk," he replied. "And it's me, Edward. I know I sound little raspy, but is it really that bad?"

"Edward?" she asked, squinting her eyes to better see in the darkness. The small room they were in appeared to be leading onto an emergency exit, a glowing, green, running man flashing above a door across the room. It was a desuetude area, filled with old supplies that looked hurriedly put away. "What are you doing? You should be in bed."

"That's what I said," whispered another voice from behind Edward, large eyes peering back at Tris.

"Myra? Wh-" Tris grimaced. "I didn't walk in on you two did I?

Even in the dark, Myra's blush was visible. "No, we-"

"Wait, why did you call me Tris before?" She interrupted suspiciously. _'How many damn people know about me? I was abnegation! People shouldn't even be able to tell us apart!'_

"No time for that," Edward muttered quickly, wincing in pain as he breathed the slightest bit too harshly. Off white bandages could be seen peaking out the top of his shirt. "We have to go."

"Go where?" A moment of silence. "You're going to the factionless aren't you." It was not a question. "Now, I understand that I'm insane, but what about you? Are you both mental?"

"I didn't realise you cared, Tris," he drawled back and Tris stiffened. "Sorry," he said after a pause. "That was uncalled for, but you just don't understand."

"Then help me understand," she pleaded out of character. Everything was messed up and crazy. Things were going to fast. She needed stability, not whatever this was.

He shook his head as Myra gathered their bags. They were preprepared. This was no spur of the moment, half-assed idea. "There are far greater things going on at the moment than you would believe, Tris. We have been compromised."

"Everything is ready," said Myra, zipping up the travel bags. "We left a few thing's in the dorm, but they don't matter much. Fucking Peter," she snarled and Tris recoiled back in shock.

_'What the hell is going on!?' _

"Listen, Tris. I know you are confused as right now, but we really do not have the time to explain everything. Just… don't trust anyone right now, not even us. Pretend you are normal, follow along with everyone," he hurried grabbing his gear and reaching for the exit. "And above all, Protect, Avoid, Survive."

Then he was gone taking Myra with him, leaving a security bell ringing and a shocked Tris in his wake.

Gone. Again. Poof.

**~.~.~**

**AN: **Please Read Below. Need Help!** TT-TT**

**Gah! I don't know what to do with Al! Originally, I was going to kill him off as usual, but now I kinda like him after last chapter and the idea of him growing rather than being a weakling. But at the same time, I need initiates to kick out/kill off because with the addition of Colm we have too many people. UGH. Let me know what you guys want to me to do because I can't make up my Goddamn mind. :p I need a loophole… or just to become more heartless I guess. **

**I have a way I can get around it for now, but for stage 2… I just don't know. **

**~Frequently Asked Questions~**

**_Dude, some people came from Erudite, shouldn't they have figured out whats wrong with Tris?_**

Who says they haven't?… Erudite are smart, they think before they act and will use this to their advantage. They will figure out Tris, how to use this, THEN strike… you have been warned.

**_Have you actually figured out the plot yet, some of it seems kinda random?_**

Yes, yes I have! *Proclaims loudly* Well, I've figure out most of it. If Tris wanders off somewhere or mentions something random, there is usually a reason… usually.

The only thing is I'm still on the edge of to War or not War, that is the question. I have a whole giant background story which I could use… but I don't know yet if I can be bother writing a trilogy. Sorry! I'm lazy ._. (Especially with my final year off school and university coming up.)

**_Edit: _**_Well, now I'm screwed if I don't do a sequel because that last scene will make no sense. Hmmm, but I wanted to include it. Y'all are probably confused as fuck, but don't worry, I got this :3_

**_When are we going to get Four/Tris!? . *You hate us, yada yada*_**

Not saying. Calm ya hormones people. Again, don't expect smut.

**_Do I know of any other FanFiction like this? (Tris is abused, takes Tobias' place etc.) _**

No, sorry! That was actually one of the reasons I started writing SS. It was a genre(?) I liked reading when looking up Harry Potter FF, but I was sad when I saw (Or at least I couldn't find any) there were none in Divergent. Ergo, my first fan fiction was born.

But then again, the last time I checked was over 9 months ago, so some might have popped up since then.

**Not sure how fast updates will be. I got ALOT of video games for christmas along with the entire 'A Song of Ice and Fire' book set (Game of Thrones) So yeah… :p **

**Finally guys, we are getting closer to the fear landscapes (The whole reason I started this fic!). Get pumped!**

**~ Mercy**


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